Dark Angel
by Jessica Cornell
Summary: ON HIATUS*Wyatt is evil. The world is at his feet. Chris makes a last desperate attempt to fix the present by going to the past. In the process, he unwillingly acquires something that absolutely does not belong to him in any time-Billie. Shes already his brother's.
1. Chapter 1

**AN- I know already exactly where I'm going with this at least in the beginning. This is just a prologue of sorts. But, I always welcome ideas and suggestions because sometimes one is better than mine. **** Most of the time actually. Also let me know if I need to spend more time editing. I get impatient sometimes and just post things.**

"Master, we have found her."

Wyatt's back was facing the group of men as they entered the room, roughly jerking a woman forward by her arm. He turned slowly and a small cold smile flitted across his lips.

"Billie. At last." He turned his gaze from her and looked at his men. Some silent message was sent and the disheveled group left, their footsteps echoing on the cement.

Billie looked defiantly at Wyatt, though her arms were still bound behind her back, and lifted her chin. Her hair was longer now but still the same shade of light blonde. It was tied back in a simple ponytail at the nape of her neck. In her simple, thin-strapped white cotton dress, she liked more like an angel than one of the most powerful witches of all time. Despite her almost 16 year age difference to Wyatt, she still looked beautiful, though time and grief had taken their toll around her eyes in the form of thin little etches that would never go away.

Wyatt's arrogant gaze bored into Billie and as he came to a stop in front of her. "Still as stubborn and headstrong as ever, I see." And he gave a short laugh.

Billie's lips thinned. "Still an evil arrogant bastard, I see."

"Bastard?" He echoed mockingly. "My parents were married."

A flicker of sadness crossed over her face which he did not fail to miss.

"Much to their everlasting regret, I'm sure. To have you for a son," she bit out.

Her words seemed to have no effect on him. They only made him cock an eyebrow arrogantly and step closer. "Their regret I don't care about. I am the most powerful witch in the world thanks to them. They served their purpose."

Billie stared into his cold eyes in disbelief, her tough façade cracking. Wyatt waved away her bonds but she didn't care. How could he say those things about his own parents? Parents he helped destroy? Where was the sweet little boy she used to babysit all those years ago? Where was his humanity? It was there somewhere; it had to be for all their sakes.

Her blue eyes stared up at him pleadingly with tears swimming in her eyes. "Wyatt, please, this isn't you. I know it isn't. You have to stop this madness." She got caught up in her emotions and clutched his arm. "Please, I know somewhere inside there's good in you. I know it. Your brother knows it. Your mother died believing it."

He looked down at her dispassionately. "You're a fool if you believe that, Billie. There is no good or evil, only power and those strong enough to take it." Something in his eyes changed that made her wary. She let go of his arm, her mask falling back into place, as he slowly circled her. She had never felt so helpless, so completely at the mercy of one man. She had to stay alive at all costs to make sure that Wyatt's dark reign ended before her death.

"Join me, Billie. You are the most powerful witch left alive. There is nowhere left for you and your friends to run to. Accept your fate. I have."

She wished for a moment that she could join him. She was worn and tired and hungry. He was right. They couldn't keep this up for much longer. She suddenly felt his presence close behind her and grew nervous. Something about this wasn't right. The vibe was off. But then, she had felt that way momentarily since Wyatt was in his early teens. Sometimes he'd say something or do something that struck her as odd…

Her palms grew sweaty as his low voice whispered in her ear. "Give in to me, Billie. Just give up."

His words struck a defiant chord in her and her spine stiffened. "Never."

A metal bar flew towards his head from the other side of the room which he ducked. She took the opportunity to bolt towards the only exit she could find but the door slammed shut and at tiny explosion off to her side made her fly backwards about five feet and crash to the floor. Wyatt's footsteps slowly thudded towards her and she struggled to get up. A hand wound itself around her hair, which had come loose, and jerked her up to her feet.

Her face was pulled up at an angle and tears slid down her face.

"There is no escape. Do you think I'm stupid?" He face was against hers as he practically spat the words out into her ear. He slammed her against the wall with a hand raised, ready to use his magic against her.

"Wyatt, how can you do this? We loved you so much and you've destroyed everything," she cried, turning her face away as his came closer.

"They betrayed me. Chris has even turned against me. My own brother. And you too."

"You're evil, Wyatt. I don't even know how this happened." She shook her head and glanced up at him. The look in his eyes scared her, but she could never give up on him. Piper wouldn't have. Piper hadn't. She felt like she still owed her for what she and her sister did to them and her children all those years ago.

His gaze flickered down to her collarbone and her stomach rolled. "Wyatt," she said hoarsely, not able to get the words out.

He looked up at her with his lips twisted in a sneer. "What?" The air had changed between them and she looked over for any way to escape. She felt his breath on the side of her neck and her heart pounded.

"What are you doing?" Her voice held fear and confusion. She looked down as his finger traced a circle over her upper arm. "Stop it."

His eyes mocked her. "Why? That's the beauty of it. I don't have to."

Her fear made her snap and she telekinetically sent a chair flying toward him. This time it connected and he hissed but didn't move enough to give her room to escape. She pushed against him but an arm grabbed her around the waist and through her to the ground hard.

She cried out and clutched the side that had made impact. Her arms waved desperately throwing objects into him but he advanced toward her anyway, his blue eyes dark and chilling, without so much as even acknowledging the pain.

He dropped to his knees and grabbed her wrists hard, slamming them into the cement floor and once again making tears run down her cheeks. She tried to struggle but Wyatt used all his strength to pin her down, straddling her hips. He didn't want to hurt her _too_ badly though. He had coveted her and her power for as long as he could remember. He was tired of waiting. Why should he?

Billie's blood ran cold as she realized what he now wanted from her. "Wyatt what are you doing? Get off me."

He ignored her.

The tears never stopped pooling in her ice blue eyes. This couldn't be happening. Wyatt was like a son to her. "Your mother and aunts were like my sisters. This is wrong."

He looked at her levelly, his blue eyes cold and distant. "But they weren't your sisters. I'm _not_ your family. " He looked at her face and seemed to be thinking far off. "You're too beautiful to waste," he murmured. His words held no softness to them, only arrogance in acquiring a woman worthy of him in power and beauty. He would have her. One hand left her arm to travel down to the fly of his black jeans.

"You think you can change me, Billie? I can't be changed."

Her dress had ridden up during her struggle and something warm and hard was against her inner thigh. She choked down bile when she realized what it was. How could he want this from her? He was her family.

Her body shook with sobs as she struggled in vain. She tried to close her eyes and concentrate on projecting herself away from here but he could sense what she was doing and bit her neck hard. "I wouldn't try it if I were you," he warned.

Her mind was too terrified and in shambles and her magic was failing her. His hair fell in her face and he looked down at her legs he was keeping apart by force. One hand went to his cock as he adjusted it against her entrance.

"Oh my God," she choked out. The moment he was inside her life changed forever and she stopped breathing. A scream caught in her throat as she struggled to wrap her mind around the fact that _Wyatt,_ of all people, was inside her. For the first minute that was all she could think about. It was as if her mind was frozen in shock. He allowed her time to get used to him before continuing.

He thrust into her hard, slowly at first then faster, burying his face against hers, and keeping her hands pinned high above her head. He felt triumphant at finally getting what he had wanted all these years, since he was fourteen.

Billie.

After all this time, he was getting his wish. To feel her bare skin beneath his body. To be able to do _this_ to her. To make her his forever.

He wondered how many other less-worthy men she had been with besides him. The thought of any other man touching her like this had always made him furious, even when he was younger. Chris had thought it was just a crush, but then, Chris was stupid and weaker than him. It had gone past crush and into a deep burning obsession, only made stronger by her continual defiance of him.

He had never had any intention of killing her. But, he would if she drove him to that. Because above all else, he craved power.

He closed his eyes, ignoring hers that were wide open and seemingly frozen, staring straight up at the ceiling of the attic. His breathing was faster as he single-mindedly raced toward an orgasm. His hands were growing tighter around her wrists with every second that passed and the only movements her body made were due to the force of his thrusts.

This was the single most soul destroying act that had ever been done to her. Even killing her own sister had been better than this. How could a boy who had been like part of her family do this to her?

She squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head to the side, tears running down as she did. "How can you do this?" she whispered hoarsely.

He looked down at her, her words distracting and causing him to slow down but not stop. He moved his mouth to the side of her face, pressing kisses against it. "You're lucky that I want you, Billie; that I've always wanted you. If I didn't, you would be dead along with the rest of my family."

"I hate you," she whispered in the same voice. She was unable to speak any louder.

He smiled coldly and kissed her neck. She strained to move away from him but to no avail. "I thought you _loved_ me," he said mockingly, almost moaning at his closeness to release.

This time her heart felt like it was breaking and she turned to face him. To look into his eyes. Hers were full of disappointment and condemnation and he felt the urge to slap her.

"I did," she whispered, her voice conveying everything her eyes did. "But, now I just want you dead."

He didn't say anything just kept his eyes trained on hers and he thrust against her harder than usual with a few quick jerks. The horror shone in her eyes as she realized he had just come inside of her. Her silent degradation was causing him to feel something like guilt. He knew that he had just raped her, but it still made him feel angry to know that she had rejected him.

He released her hands and grabbed her face hard, kissing her unmercilessly before she could turn away. It was a kiss of defiance and possession and she wanted to vomit. She couldn't escape his tongue that was invading her mouth and when she thought she couldn't bear anymore he released her.

He quickly stood up arranging his cock so that it was back in his pants all the while smirking down at her. "You know, I've thought about what it would be like for years now." He was referring to having sex with her. "I knew it would be good. The best I've ever had," he finished simply, looking around the room they were in.

Billie had quickly covered herself with her dress and stood up, backing against the wall and not looking at him. Her body shook with humiliation.

"I'm not going to keep you from leaving," he told her, putting his hands on his hips, "But, know that I will come for you soon."

And with that he disappeared in a swirl of black orbs leaving her alone with her thoughts. She didn't leave. She didn't scream. She didn't do anything. She simply slid down against the wall to the floor and buried her head in her knees and wrapped her arms around her legs.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I just had to get this story off my chest. Enjoy! **

She didn't know how long she had sat there like that, knowing that he could come back at any moment, but unable to move. Everything just seemed so surreal. She even wondered for a second if she had just imagined the whole thing.

She heard a light musical sound and saw a quick flash of bright lights from under her arms.

"Billie?" Footsteps sounded across the floor and she heard Chris kneeling down in front of her. He didn't speak for a moment and then shifted.

"Billie? Are you okay? Was he here?"

His hand touched her shoulder and she wanted to shout at him to get it off. Don't be ridiculous, she told herself, lifting her face and trying to school her expression. Get yourself under control. You can't lose it just because something bad happened. She met his blue-green eyes that were full of concern and flinched for some unknown reason.

"Yes, he was here," she whispered, unable to keep the despair out of her voice.

He felt something cold in his stomach at the tone of her voice. Something wasn't right, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "What happened?" He wanted sure if he wanted to know or not.

She stared off across the room for a moment, before turning her attention back to Chris. His eyes were so full of worry and concern. He was like that, always carried himself as if the world was on his shoulders. She sighed.

"After his men captured me, they brought me back here, to Wyatt." It was hard even saying his name. "He mostly just talked about how we have betrayed him and that there is no good or evil, just power."

His face tightened with anger. "There's evil alright. It's Wyatt," he spat.

She nodded, biting her bottom lip and moving her hands to the floor to get up. "Well, for whatever reason," she continued lightly, deciding that what Wyatt had done was too humiliating to tell Chris. Besides that, he would never forgive himself. "he decided not to kill me. He wants us to join him."

"Like that will ever happen," Chris scoffed, grabbing her hand and hauling her to her feet. "I would rather die." Just like the rest of his family.

Out of all his cousins, only his Aunt Phoebe's two youngest daughters, Elena and Briony, had survived. Henry and the twins were dead as was Patricia, the eldest of Phoebe's daughters. Like her namesake, she had died young battling a demon. Paige's kids had died in the Underworld, after having been forced down there into hiding. They had lasted a long time but in the end they were just tired and hungry. Too weak to properly escape.

Wyatt had given orders to have any captured family members brought before him first. He gave them all the opportunity to turn, but they wouldn't. So he had them eliminated.

He tightened his jaw and looked back at Billie. He still felt uneasy. She was walking away from him and straightening out her dress, but stopped at the sound of his voice.

"Are you sure that was all that happened?" he asked tentatively, swallowing hard. She froze and closed her eyes.

"Of course. Why would I hide anything from you? We're in this together Chris."

"It's just that," he started, uncomfortably, "Wyatt has never let anyone go before."

"Well, maybe something I said got through to him. I am like his aunt after all. I've known him since he was two years old." That thought twisted her gut and made her want to vomit.

He still looked at her oddly and she forced a smile on her face and held out her hand. You're the adult here, she scolded herself, not Chris. He's so young, only twenty-two. You however, she said, her inner voice turning sterner, just turned forty-one. He's counting on you to know what to do.

"Chris, we have to go. We don't have time to stand here and analyze me. We can do that later, but for now, you have to orb us away from here."

He nodded slowly and walked toward her outstretched hand. She relaxed a fraction and smiled genuinely at the worry that was still evident on his face.

"You know Chris," she said, straightening his collar out of habit, then tucking some hair behind his ear, "you worry too much."

He rolled his eyes and tried to duck her hand, but she was too fast so he simply sighed and concentrated on their hideout. They disappeared in a swirl of blue lights.

XXXXXXXXXX

Wyatt had found them. What remained of the resistance was pathetic, consisting of only Billie, Chris, Chris' girlfriend Bianca, Elena, Briony, and Briony's husband. There were a couple homeless stragglers, but most of the magical community had already been subjugated by Wyatt. They didn't even have to hide what they were anymore. Magic was performed freely, out in the open, but at a terrible cost.

Right they were very much out in the open. Instead of killing the demons, Wyatt had simply forced them under his thumb as well and right now there were at least twenty surrounding them in the street.

A dirty looking demon in a dusty brown trenchcoat leered at them while an energy ball formed in his hand.

"I have been told to give you the opportunity of surrendering first."

"Tell Wyatt to fuck off," Elena snarled, waving a rock toward his face. She had good aim. It connected and he howled, clutching his face and dropping to his knees.

Another demon took his place, this time with a fireball. "I love hunting witches in the morning," he smiled, "I was so hoping you would decline our master's offer." And then he hurled it at them, but Briony amplified it with her empathetic powers and forced it back at him. He screamed and went up in flames.

After that it was chaos. Chris couldn't keep track of Bianca or his family as he focused on the demons and warlocks in front of him. As Wyatt's brother, they all wanted to be the one to brag about killing him.

Billie raised both arms and two demons collided with each other, finished off by Briony's husband Drok. He had a sadistic smile on his face as a stream of lightning spewed from his hand and into the two demons. Their screams echoed in her ears, but she didn't care. If they lost today, it was over. For the world.

She flipped up into the air with more grace than was humanly possible and landed in front of a demon, she kicked him high in the face and as he landed she shoved an atheme through his heart. She whirled around and knocked another one off his feet, killing him in the same manner.

Thank God she had worn pants today.

Chris orbed in and out around demons, using his magic to send to them flying. One died instantly being impaled on a fence post nearby. He sent another flying about a hundred feet away and Elena vanquished him with a potion. He looked over at Billie to check on her and was relieved that she was safe. She was kicking some serious ass and not for the first time he silently thanked God that she was here to help him. It sucked being the oldest.

Well, the oldest non-evil one.

Drok and Briony had formed a team and were fighting back to back. They did everything together and Chris noted with slight nausea that they had even figured out a way to use their powers together. Briony was using her empathy and amplifying Luke's lightning bolts to the point where they had transformed into something like lightning _blasts_. Pretty powerful shit. The street didn't look the same anymore.

Bianca had a look of cold single-minded murderous intent and for a moment he was slightly afraid of her. She had already killed five demons and their bodies lay scattered around her. Sometimes he forgot about that side of her.

The other witches who weren't as powerful had already been killed and he felt a wave of sadness at the wasted life. A demon took advantage of his distraction and threw and energy ball at him. It hurled him back a dozen or so feet and he felt blood dripping from his shoulder.

A scream in the background sounded as Elena shouted his name. Her boiling anger at her cousin's injury had her waving both arms furiously, hurling everything out of her path to get to him. Demon after demon fell and she noticed with satisfaction that there were only five left.

As if reading her mind, another twenty appeared in their place. Fatigue was etched on the witches faces as they realized they were not close to winning. Drok however looked overconfident as usual and was throwing out insults and taunts at the fresh batch, insinuating that they didn't have the necessary equipment to take him on. As an upper-level demon, he was probably right.

Elena jerked Chris up onto his feet, frustrated that she could not heal him. Henry or the twins could've she remembered with frustrated tears.

He shook his head and pulled himself together, yelling at her that he was okay. She nodded and ran back to help out her sister and brother-in-law. Chris was still slightly dizzy but he noticed a demon sneaking up on Billie and willed his legs to move. He sprinted up to him and noticed a short sword lying at his feet. It flew into his hands and he thrust it into the demon's back.

"Chris," she yelled above the noise, "are you okay?"

He nodded. "Just an energy ball. Nothing I can't handle."

She rolled her eyes and killed a demon that had run up on them. She looked around and saw more demons popping up. We have to end this or we're all dead, she thought.

"Cover me," she yelled to Chris and he nodded, watching her close her eyes and concentrate.

She forced herself to focus and felt the power building inside her. Though her eyes were closed, she opened her mouth and shouted Briony's name. Briony looked over and saw what Billie was doing.

"Baby, cover me," she panted to Drok and went very still, concentrating on Billie and trying to amplify her power of projection. Though Briony was powerful, she was still young and not as strong as her Aunt Billlie. She only hoped that she had enough power to do what she thought Billie was trying to do.

Suddenly, all around him, Chris saw every demon explode, screaming in the second between bodies contorting and pieces of them flying everywhere. Off to the side Briony sagged tiredly against Drok and Billie slowly opened her eyes.

No more demons appeared. Chris just looked at her in awe and Bianca placed a small hand on his arm, eyes full of worry. She really wished they had a whitelighter right now. "Chris, we have to get you somewhere safe to heal," she whispered, looking around in trepidation.

"Wyatt, could show up at any minute."

Billie straightened quickly and waved them closer. "Elena, you and Bianca come with Chris and I. Drok, you and Briony need to get going. Shimmer around for a little bit so the Tracker demons can't follow you."

Briony nodded and stepped closer to her husband. He wrapped two possessive arms around her small frame and they shimmered away. Billie stamped down the urge to call Briony back, to tell her it wasn't safe, but didn't. Briony had made it clear that they would never be separated even if it meant her death. And Drok would die before he let anything hurt her.

Drok was one of the demons who refused to accept Wyatt's rule of the Underground. He had sided with them at first for protection, but then had fallen in love Briony. As much as he was capable. His powers did come in handy, she admitted to herself, clutching Chris' and Elena's hands. He had more than repaid them for their protection. But, genetics were against him. He only had a quarter of humanity, making it even harder for him than a regular half-breed to control his appetites for death and destruction.

But, she sighed, nowadays, what did it matter? As long as he was willing to vanquish evil instead of them, she would take it.

XXXXX

It was dark inside the house they were staying in for the moment. Billie crept down the hall, holding a flashlight and knocked softly on Chris' door. She needed to talk to him tonight. Their time was running out. They couldn't keep up this fight much longer, but she would not accept defeat.

The door opened and Chris stepped back tiredly. She could tell he hadn't slept at all yet.

"Close the door," she said, listening for it to click.

"Couldn't sleep?"

She nodded and sighed. "I'm getting to old for this,' she mumbled, lowering her aching body into a soft chair beside the bed.

"No you're not," he protested, coming around the side to sit on the bed, facing her. "You're the same age as Mom was when you first met her."

"I'm a few years older, actually," she said, giving him a frosty glare. "And believe me, Piper wasn't as spry as you seem to remember her."

He laughed a bit and then grew quiet. "Are you here to tell me what's wrong finally? Ever since Wyatt-,"

She cut him off with another glare. "That's none of your business. Your business is staying alive. My business is making sure that you do. I promised them before they died that I would take care of all of you." She thought of Paige's kids and raised a hand to face to stop the tears that came automatically whenever she thought of them. Patricia had died before the Charmed Ones but, the rest had been on her head.

"I've done a pretty shitty job of it," she said quietly.

"Henry and the twins were not your fault. They were Wyatt's," he said angrily, trying to stop her from crying. "He's the evil one, not you."

"She was my whitelighter," Billie said distantly, remembering another time. A better time.

He shifted at the odd emotional turn the conversation had taken. "I know. She found you when I was still an infant. After Zankou."

She smiled a small smile and rubbed her finger along her bottom lip. "Paige was my whitelighter, but Phoebe was my best friend. She was always in my corner even up til the end."

He sensed an opportunity to ask questions that she usual wouldn't answer. "What do you mean, 'the end'? What about Mom? Why weren't you close to her?"

Should she tell him? What if he used the information somehow when he went back?

She sighed. "Well, Piper seemed to take offense to me trying to kill her and her sisters."

His eyes widened in shock.

"It's a long story but suffice it to say I was manipulated by my sister into thinking I was doing the right thing. I figured it out eventually and made amends, but I think a tiny part of her still held a grudge, even unconsciously."

He stayed silent for a moment while digested this information. Billie trying to kill his mother and aunts seemed so farfetched. "I didn't know you have a sister."

She smiled sadly. "Had," she corrected.

"What happened? Did my-," he hesitated, but she shook her head.

"No, it wasn't them. Just as I was being manipulated by her, she was being manipulated by The Triad into thinking she was doing the right thing. They turned her into a killer and in the end it was me." She was quiet. "I killed her."

He wanted to ask more but she held up her hand and looked at him. "I'm here, Chris, because even if somehow we managed to stop Wyatt, the world is a wreck. It will take decades, if not at least a century, to recover from what he's done. And we're getting weaker. Our numbers are dwindling and it's only a matter of time before he finds us and kills us."

Chris was pale and had never felt more hopeless. "How can you even think that way? You're the one who's always saying that anything's possible as long as we keep fighting."

"I know what I said. And you misunderstand me," she told him, "I don't intend to stop fighting. I intend to change the battlefield."

He looked at her like she'd grown two heads. "What?"

"It's dangerous. I'll have to wait for the right time."

"To do what?"

She bit her lip and looked at him. "To send you back in time. To stop whoever turned Wyatt evil before he can. You have Underworld contacts, demons who aren't as loyal to Wyatt as he believes. One of them has to know something."

Chris gaped at her." How is that possible? There's a spell in the Book of Shadows but I'd have to sneak in and summon it. If he catches me in the attic he'll kill me."

She shook her head. "I'll send you back. And then I'll get the spell from the Book and take it so that he can't send anyone after you."

"But, how are you going to do it? Only a Halliwell can summon the Book."

She leaned back. "I'm not sure. Maybe Elena. But she's so young. I don't want to put her in harm's way."

Chris shook his head firmly. "No way. They're staying out of it. I'll summon the Book before I leave and you can get it then." He stopped and looked at her slowly. "But, how will you escape Wyatt once he finds us?"

She smiled lightly. "If you do your job right, it won't matter. He won't be evil anymore." He didn't look convinced at all by that logic so she added, "I can project remember? It isn't precise for your average basic traveling but it gets the job done."

He nodded and leaned back. "Isn't it dangerous? Trying to change the future?"

She snorted and stood up to rest a hand on his shoulder. "The future's already dangerous. We're going to make it better. I chose you so that you can pose as their whitelighter. Or pretend to train under Leo. Any pretense to get into their lives for a long period time. When the time is right, I'll let you know."

And then she left, but not before Chris' eyes dropped down to her arm where the faint outline of bruising fingers could still be seen. Something niggled at him, but he couldn't even acknowledge it. He covered his tired face with his hands and rubbed.

What had Wyatt done?

**Alright folks, timetravel's confusing enough so I decided to explain my logic now. Basically, everything's the same except that Chris hasn't gone back yet. So instead of Wyatt getting rescued after only a few hours in the Underworld, he's chased by Gideon and the fear demon guy (I'll look his name up later) for weeks.**

**Since evil insidious most of the time, Wyatt doesn't know that this experience has corrupted him and no one else thinks of it either.**

**That being said, when Chris goes back he's going to accidentally tweak the timeline a bit so that now the sisters meet Billie earlier than they were supposed to. He had no intention of doing that but, you know, the butterfly effect and all. I'm not keeping exactly to the canon but the major key plot points will still be included.**

**And since I wasn't a fan of season 7 as much, the Avatars might not make a big appearance in this story. Basically I'm blurring together the 6-8 seasons.**

**Also, I so did not have Phoebe's daughter marry a half demon on purpose to be cute. It just came to me that it would be natural for at least one demon to feel the need to work with witches to stay alive. Drok is also an upper level demon who is really powerful so he would really hate the thought of bowing to Wyatt, a witch, based on his pride.**

**Bianca is not Chris's fiancé. She just a girlfriend who sometimes slightly worries him with her ruthlessness. I still plan on turning her evil.**

**Also just so no one thinks Billie is the old ugly hag, think Phoebe in the 8****th**** season. I think she was early thirties and still agile and hot. Billie's only like 10 years older in the future. **


	3. Chapter 3

Chris must have spent days down in the Underworld trying to glean information from the evil wretches down there. He hadn't found out much. Wyatt had been attacked so many times in his infancy that it was hard to pinpoint at what time he had been turned evil. The only help he had received was from a seer who was vague at best.

"Whatever happened to your brother, happened before you were born," he declared finally, his wrinkled face screwed up tight with concentration.

Chris leaned forward in excitement. The old man continued.

"The planets had not yet become _perfectly_ aligned for your birth," his voice quavered. "The darkness was insidious, a cancer. It wormed its way into and around only one." He lowered his arms and opened his rheumy eyes. "That is all I can tell you."

Chris was frustrated. What the hell did that mean? Wyatt was two years older than he was. That was a lot of ground to cover. Could he be bullied into divulging more? This seer was pretty second-rate and he was probably telling the truth. Still…

"There has to be more," he pressed.

The old man shook his head firmly. "There is nothing else." He held out his hand for his payment and Chris stood up disgustedly and threw it at him.

"Not that it was worth it," he muttered, orbing out and away from that cursed place. He had to find Billie and tell her what he had discovered. It was better than nothing, he decided.

When he told her, her face lit up with relief. "Thank God. That narrows it down so much more."

Chris was incredulous. "You're _happy_? Two years, Billie. It's going to be almost impossible to narrow down the culprit. And what if something stupid turned him evil, like he didn't get a puppy for Christmas? How am I supposed to prevent stuff like that?"

Billie looked at him seriously, for once not making light of the situation to ease his worry.

"Then get him that friggin' puppy, Chris." She turned and began walking away. "It's time. Don't tell _anyone_ and meet me downstairs at midnight."

His forehead prickled with beads of sweat. It was time already? What if he couldn't do it? What if Wyatt ambushed them and they died before anything could change? What about his cousins?

Billie turned as if sensing his anxiety. "Chris, you are the most capable man I know. You have the element of surprise on your side, as well as the Charmed Ones- the greatest good witches in the history of the world. If it becomes necessary to tell them about Wyatt, then do it. There is no greater ally you can have."

Her words made him feel better. His family would be there. His mother.

"You have something that Wyatt doesn't have," she added, opening the door. "He may have more power, but you have more heart. You'd be amazed at what a difference that makes," she said quietly, and then slipped into the darkness of the hallway.

Chris felt only marginally better. Not enough to get any sleep, but enough to get him to walk down the stairs at eleven fifty-five. Billie was waiting for him and she looked different. Like she was going into battle and expecting not to come out of it alive.

She was clad all in black and had her light blonde hair tied back into a simple ponytail. She held out her hand and he steeled himself. He took it and expelled a breath.

"What's the plan?"

"You know we can't orb directly into the Manor anymore, but you can get us as close as possible. We'll sneak inside and up to the attic. You will summon the Book and find the spell as quickly as possible while I fight off Wyatt's demons." She paused for a moment then said, "I don't think that he'll come at first. He won't know it's us until after a few minutes. That will give us enough time to open the portal and send you back."

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "You really expect me to just walk through it and leave you to your death?"

She smiled lightly. "Wow, Chris, I think you just insulted me. I can't take care of a few low-level demons?"

"It won't be just low-level demons," he answered quietly.

Her face tensed. "I know. But if I'm willing to sacrifice myself for this cause, then the least you can do is make sure it succeeds." She gripped his hand harder causing him to wince. "When that portal opens up, walk through. Promise me?"

He hesitated and she yanked his arm hard. He frowned and nodded. "Alright, I promise."

She relaxed a bit and took a deep breath. "Alright, let's go."

He orbed them under the tree in the backyard where he used to play when he was little and they crouched down.

There didn't appear to be anyone guarding the house, but that didn't mean that there wasn't. Billie sprinted quickly over to the basement window and squatted, forcing it open and going inside.

"Alright, it's safe," she called softly after looking around. She helped pull Chris down into the dank musty room and sat on one of the lower steps leading up into the kitchen.

"Alright, Chris," she said, trying to even out her breaths. Fear was making her heart race. "Take a minute and collect yourself. If you feel like you can't do this, let me know _now_. We'll wait and take a bit longer to think out our plan. Trust your instincts."

He stepped closer to her and shook his head. "I'm afraid," he admitted, a little embarrassedly. "My instincts tell me that this is a good plan, but there's no guarantee that I will succeed."

She nodded. "I know that. But remember, nothing is a hundred percent certain. If no one ever took a chance then nothing would ever get accomplished." She sighed. "I wish I could trade places with you so badly."

He looked at her. "Why don't you? You're a hundred times more powerful than I am."

"I just feel that you are the best person for the job," she replied. And if all else fails, at least you'll be in the past and out of harm's way. Drok would make damn sure nothing happened to Briony should Billie not make it. Elena would be protected just by being Briony's sister.

She thought it was odd that he hadn't mentioned Bianca. Oh well, she'd never really liked the girl anyway. Maybe he hadn't either.

"First off, don't tell anyone who you are when you get there. You're cover will be that you are a Whitelighter from the future sent to warn the Charmed Ones about some great terrible evil that is going to destroy the world. To get them personally vested tell them that it kills Wyatt."

He processed all this quickly and nodded.

"Now, remember they won't know that you exist. I'm sending you back before you were born to when the Titans were freed. Hopefully you can save some of the Elders before they're all wiped out. I've never met any personally but they were there for a reason. Maybe they can help with Wyatt."

She looked up at him suddenly with a serious look on her face. "I have to tell you something, Chris. This spell… it's a one way spell. Unless the Charmed Ones find a way- and I don't think they will- you can't come back. Once the portal closes it's done."

The silence was almost deafening. He couldn't believe that she'd waited until now to tell him. Until he couldn't back out.

"How could you keep that from me?" he asked accusingly. "I've got family here. I'll never see you again."

She stood up and placed both hands on his shoulders. "You'll be fine without me. You're all grown up now," she whispered, tears filling her eyes. She drew him in close for hug. "It's up to you to save us."

A tear slid down his face but he managed to wipe it away before she saw. He needed to stop being weak. He drew away and straightened his shirt.

"I'm ready. Let's go."

She stared at him for a moment and then nodded. They crept up the stairs to the door and listened for any sounds on the other side. Billie slowly opened it and peered through the crack until she was sure it was empty.

They were quiet but quick as they made their way to the attic. It was hardest thing in the world for Chris to ignore his childhood home but he did. It wasn't his home anymore.

As the door to the attic closed, Billie looked around satisfied they were alone. She drew a large piece of chalk from a pocket and walked over to the wall.

"Start summoning the book while I draw," she ordered. "If everything is timed exactly right we should have the Book by the time I'm finished.'

She worked quickly as Chris chanted behind her, eyes closed, lips pursed. Suddenly, the Book fell straight down onto its stand right in front of him. He quickly flipped through the pages as Billie furiously finished the last piece of the triquatra.

Demons shimmered in just as he found the spell. Ducking an energy ball, he ripped the page from the Book and sent a table crashing into the demons. Billie barely escaped a bolt of lightening as she turned to Chris with a shriek.

"Say the spell. I'll take care of them."

They traded places and Billie stood still, eyes closed and sent the remaining three demons up in flames. She turned quickly to see a purple light filling the space of the hand-drawn symbol and felt elation coursing through her. All they had to do now was get him through the portal and they had a chance to survive.

"My own flesh and blood, betraying me in my ancestral home."

The sound of his voice made her blood run cold and she slowly turned around to see Wyatt standing arrogantly, flanked by ten demons on either side of him. The sight of him filled her with sickening fear and loathing. She no longer cared if he lived or died. If Chris failed in his mission, she hoped he would at least end everyone's future misery and kill Wyatt while he was young and vulnerable.

It was horrible to think that, but she did.

Chris took a step forward. His brother had always had a sort of hold on him. "Wyatt, I'm not betraying you. I'm trying to save you."

Wyatt's eyes were cold and dispassionate. He hadn't acknowledged Billie yet and she was terrified that he would tell Chris what had happened.

"Save me?" he sneered. "I don't need to be saved. But, you will."

Billie found her voice and tried to steady it. Her hands tensed at her side, ready to do battle with one of the most powerful warlocks of all time. "Chris, go. I'll be fine."

Chris started forward but his movements were hesitant. It was the hardest thing in the world to have to leave someone and be certain that they're going to be killed.

Wyatt finally looked at Billie. He deliberately let his eyes roam up and down her form and she stiffly took it. Chris looked at him oddly.

"Billie, I'm glad that you have come," he said in an arrogant tone, "It has saved me the trouble of going to that hovel you call a home and taking you by force."

Chris was now completely alert. He had always known that Wyatt had some sort of weird obsession with her but never was anything voiced. "What's going on?"

Billie's face was tight. "Chris, get out of here," she snapped.

Wyatt's lips curved with humor. "Yes, little brother, leave. Leave her all to me. Didn't tell him about our previous encounter, I'm guessing."

He ducked a bar that came shooting through the air towards his chest.

Chris looked pale and angry. "What did you do to her?"

Wyatt cast him a careless glance. "What I've always wanted to do, Chris. Whatever I like. She's mine now."

He was horrified. He'd suspected but never let himself believe. "Billie," he whispered, hating the way her face drew into a tight cold mask.

"Go," she gritted out and, taking a deep breath, she launched herself through the air and kicked Wyatt in the face. Demons were blasted away from them, into the walls, and Billie got off a few blows to his face before she was hurtled through the air and into a wall.

Wyatt strode over and grabbed her up, wrapping an arm around her throat and immobilizing her hands. He bent close to her ear. "In case you get any ideas about that projection power just know that I've got a demon ready to hurl a dagger through your heart. Try and concentrate while you're bleeding out."

Fear made her falter as well his close proximity. She felt his lips graze her cheek and saw Chris, enraged and lifting his hand to do something foolish. Wyatt looked up at his brother mockingly, loving how easy it was to anger him.

Billie closed her eyes and relaxed her body. In the second that she did, she was able to mentally knock Chris back through the portal. Wyatt yelled and shoved her to the floor, quickly running over to the purple light.

It disappeared before he got close and he punched the wall in frustration. Whirling around, he slashed through the air with one hand, knocking her down into the floor over and over, barely restraining himself from killing her.

He breathed deeply and mentally drew her up close to him. Her face was bruised and bloody but nothing he couldn't have someone heal. She was still so beautiful and he slowly wound a hand through her long hair and held it loosely.

Tears were rolling down her face but he didn't care.

"You shouldn't have defied me, Billie. It will take a little time but I _will_ find out _when_ Chris is and then I'll kill him. And then I'll kill the rest of them." He leaned in close and inhaled her scent. It made him dizzy. "But, you," he said, cruelly, lifting a hand to her face, "I think I will let live awhile… until I tire of you. Long enough for you to see what your little pathetic rebellion has come of and realize that you never even had a chance against me."

His words only made her straighten her spine and look at him spitefully.

"And who knows," he added dispassionately, staring down at her, "maybe you'll come around."

She gave him a disgusted look. "I will never join you."

He shrugged and grabbed her face. Before she could turn her head he was kissing her. "You belong with me, Billie. We are the most powerful witches in the world. Together we could rule it… build a dynasty."

He liked that idea a lot.

It was surreal. His hands were around her throat and his lips were pressed against hers.

Please, she begged to no one in particular, please let Chris succeed. He was the only one who could save her now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Next chapter's up. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and alerted this story. **

_2 months later_

Chris silently fumed in frustration as the Charmed Ones completely ignored everything he had just said and went back to talking about whatever stupid, trivial thing they had been discussing before. Piper hummed lightly to herself as she took some muffins out of the oven.

"Don't you have that radio show thingy to get to?" Paige asked Phoebe, buttering a piece of toast and putting it on her plate.

Phoebe smiled and took a drink of orange juice. "Yeah, but not 'til eleven." She scooted her chair back and jumped up. "Just enough time to slip on that fabulous new bikini I bought from that place in-"

Chris threw his hands up in the air. It was like trying to talk sense to a bunch of two year olds. If they didn't start paying attention they were going to get killed all over again. He wondered smugly how they would take to _that _bit of news. And then he felt ashamed that he had even thought that and got pissed off again.

"Did you guys listen to anything I just said? There's a demon out there right now who could be the one who kills Wyatt."

Paige made a face and stood up as well. "Could you be any more of a downer? You've been working us like dogs. We can't fight demons all the time."

Phoebe cut in. "We decided after Prue died that we were going to maintain a balance in our lives."

Chris rolled his eyes. Balance? My ass, he thought.

"We will take care of this demon, but _after_ my interview, and _after_ Paige's new temp job. Piper, you tell him," Phoebe ordered, waving her arm at the offending person slouching against the kitchen wall.

Piper walked over, drying her hands on a dish towel and still smiling. "What's going on here?"

Phoebe pointed her finger at Chris. "Ask our overseer."

Chris straightened up and uncrossed his arms. It was hard to remember sometimes that he loved these people. "I am simply trying to save the life of Wyatt. _Your son._ Remember?"

Piper smiled and shook her head. "Chris, you work yourself far too hard. You really should try and meet a nice girl and get to know her a bit." She wagged a finger at him and he frowned at it. "Really Chris, anytime you want me and Wyatt to get out of here, you just say the word and you'll have the whole house to yourself."

Her sisters and Chris simply stared at her.

"Thanks, but no thanks," Chris said horrified and embarrassed. He had to get out of here. "I'll track it down myself, but I'll need the Power of Three to vanquish it. You guys think you can handle that at say four o'clock?"

They glared at him.

"No need to get snippy. Maybe Piper's right," Paige said under her breath. Phoebe looked over at her and mouthed 'sexual tension' and they both silently giggled.

He clenched his jaw and stalked out of the room, thinking about what an impossible job this was. They weren't the witches he remembered. They were completely unfocused and without purpose, self-absorbed and stubborn. He took a deep breath and pictured Billie. She was counting on him. God only knows what Wyatt was doing to her. Or maybe he had just killed her instead.

But, somehow he doubted that. He had seen the look in his brother's eyes and knew that he'd keep her with him and alive just hurt Chris. His fists clenched and it was all he could do to keep from going to the nursery and killing little Wyatt right then.

Instead, he walked by that room on the way to the attic and tried to stay focused on his new 'charges'. How could he get them to listen to him? He walked over to the Book and flipped through it, looking for the demon he was after. Suddenly the air shifted and whirred and a swirling portal opened up straight ahead of him.

His temper rose slightly at the intrusion as a stunningly beautiful blonde woman walked through, calm blue eyes trained on him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in irritation.

"Freya sent me. We can't keep him forever. He doesn't belong."

He let out a frustrated breath, knowing she was right. "I need more time. Tell her he has to stay until the witches are where I need them. This is important." His eyes pleaded with her to do as he said.

She softened and cupped his cheek with her hand. "You care a great deal for them, don't you?"

_Yes_, he inwardly screamed. "It's my mission," he replied in a neutral tone, and then stepped toward her subtly. He loved her in his own way, but it was more important to keep her on his side. "I care for you too," he whispered.

She smiled and drew closer. "I know you do. Just as I know you would kill me if you had to."

It hurt him that she would say that, but he couldn't disagree with her words. He respected her too much to lie needlessly to her. He bent down and kissed her, all his pent up anger and anxiety needing release, but knowing that he had to stay focused. His all-consuming mission.

She broke off the kiss and said goodbye, walking into the portal and disappearing and Chris hung his head, taking a minute to lament over things that might have been. Then he straightened and resumed his task of finding the demon that could potentially harm his brother.

XXXXXXXXXX

Phoebe raised her head as Chris strode into the room and looked over her shoulder.

"What are you doing? I found the demon and-,"

She cut him off. "We're trying to scry for Leo."

Chris' stomach lurched. "Why are you trying to find him? He's up with the other elders, right?"

She shook her head, keeping the crystal swinging steadily over the map of California. "We did a bad thing."

He almost had a heart attack. "What do you mean? What did you do?"

"Leo cast some sort of memory spell on Piper so Paige and I cast one to reverse it only… something happened and now she can't remember anything." Phoebe got it all out in one breath. "There. Now you can yell."

Chris let out a frustrated breath and looked across the room to where his mother was wandering around and looking at the ceiling. It was always something. He looked back down to Phoebe.

"Wait a minute. Why are you scrying for him? Didn't you try calling?"

She threw the crystal down on the table and put a hand to her head. "Of course I did, Chris, but we got no answer. We called for awhile. If Leo could hear us he would have come. He wouldn't just abandon Piper and Wyatt like that."

Yeah, if you only knew, he thought bitterly. They were going to catch him in his lie unless he did major damage control right now.

He sighed. "I didn't want to tell you this, Phoebe but… Leo's been kidnapped."

She swung up around on him so fast he backed away nervously. "_What? _Why didn't you tell us?"

"I was waiting until I found out more. There was nothing you could do and I didn't want you three to worry," he said, placatingly.

"That wasn't your decision," she yelled. "Where the hell is he?"

He backed away. "I'll go see if my contacts have found anything out."

She opened her mouth to yell at him some more but he orbed away before she could. He closed his eyes in frustration and also to concentrate. This was the only way. Sensing what he was after he concentrated and landed, appearing in a dirty alley over a dying cop.

A pretty dark skinned woman kneeling over him turned and stood up. "Chris? What are you doing here?"

He looked her in the eyes sadly and raised a hand. "What I have to, Leysa." He closed his fist abruptly and she gasped, clutching her chest and falling to her knees. Her eyes pleaded with him but he couldn't relent. The future was more important than any one person.

He bent over and unclasped the necklace. Then he orbed away back to the manor to give it to his aunts.

XXXXXXXXXX

"What do you mean, she's not coming back?" Chris asked in panic and shock. "Why not?"

The sister darted a glance at Leo and he turned red and looked at the floor for a second, then angrily back up at Chris.

"I know you were the one who put me in Valhalla and I swear, if my wife dies because of you…" he gritted out through clenched teeth and Chris' temper rose.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. She's gone because you screwed up a spell."

Leo stepped forward furiously. "I was supposed to be able to wean her off gradually. Not be stuck in another dimension where I was powerless to do anything."

Phoebe stepped in. "Leo calm down. Chris has been helping us find you from the moment we found out. He got us the necklace that made it possible for us to get into Valhalla undetected."

Leo sneered at Chris. "And where'd you get that necklace? You know, the only way to separate a Valkyrie from her necklace is to kill her. Is that what you did?"

Chris backed away and laughed nervously. He threw up his hands. "You know what? If you don't trust me than fine. I'll leave-,"

Paige stopped him from orbing. "No one is going anywhere. You two need to stop fighting until we figure out how to get Piper back." She turned to Phoebe. "Can we try a To Call A Lost Witch spell?"

Phoebe shook her head just as Leo broke in. "Don't bother. I can sense her. Her and a lot of anger," he said quietly. "She won't just come back with you. She's not a witch anymore, she's a Valkyrie."

Paige and Phoebe looked at each other. Phoebe looked hopeful. "I was going to wait to tell you guys about this later, but… I have a new power."

Chris straightened abruptly. Is this what he thought it was? He hoped not. Worst timing ever.

Leo looked concerned. "What is it?"

"I don't know, but it's like I can feel what everyone else around me is feeling." She looked sharply at Chris for a moment and then refocused on Leo. "I have a plan that just might work so save Piper," she told them.

XXXXX

Billie swung her bag over her shoulder and walked down the sidewalk toward her car. A boy from one of her classes said hello, but she ignored him and kept walking. She opened the door and threw her bag in then slid into her seat. She stared out the window for a minute.

The most totally, awesome thing was happening to her and she couldn't believe it. From everything she had looked up on the Web it was true. She was a witch. A bad ass witch with powers, she thought smugly, starting her engine and backing out.

She'd only had them for about a week, but she was learning fast. The only thing she didn't know about is what to do with them. Was she supposed to worshipping Mother Earth or something? She didn't think she could handle that.

She sighed. Who could she trust? Was she supposed to keep this a secret? Were there rules she had to follow? _That _probably wouldn't be happening.

Suddenly, off on the passenger side, she glanced over and saw what looked like a biker brawl going down right there on the sidewalk. A bunch of guys in leather and long robes (what?) were chasing a bunch of girls in leather into some sort of warehouse. She abruptly stopped the car and got out, running as fast as she could to the entrance. She could not miss this. What if the girls needed her help?

Billie stuck her blonde just inside the opening and watched the fight. She didn't have to worry about the women for long because they were giving just as much as they were taking. Billie smirked. She loved when men got put in their places.

Suddenly, there was a brilliant blue light and two women appeared out of nowhere.

_What the hell?_ _That was so cool_, she thought wistfully. She wished she could—Oh crap. An explosion from inside the warehouse knocked her off her feet, but she quickly regained footing.

"Piper, please. We're your sisters," one of the women pleaded, gesturing to the other one beside her.

She couldn't hear much after that due to metal bars and hubcaps flying through the air and crashing into the walls, but it was all very dramatic. Whatever she was saying was getting through to the one called Piper because she hesitated as her friends were leaving—_get this_—through a purple swirling vortex of some kind.

Billie smiled and leaned back against the grey metal wall. _That_ was exactly what she wanted to do with her powers. Kick some bad-guy ass. Demons, or whatever they were called. Those other women _had _to be witches too. She looked back inside but they were gone and she frowned in disappointment.

She looked around for a moment, but eventually jogged back to her car and got in. A determined look spread over her face. Thank God for a little a little piece of technology called Google. She would track them down soon enough.

**Alright from here on out most of the story's going to be the same, except for Billie coming into the picture early. In this story, Chris started a chain of events by imprisoning Leo with the Valkyries that led to Billie discovering the Charmed Ones instead of the other way around. Don't think too hard about it. It'll give me and you a headache.**

**The next chapter is going to be where Chris and Billie meet for the first time in this timeline. Just a note, when you see XXXXX that means its around the same time in the story, just with a different point of view. When you see XXXXXXXXXX that means there has been a lot of time elapsing in the story.**

**Also, things are not going to rewritten word for word. That would be too much detail and time for me. But, chances are if something's left out, it was done on purpose.**


	5. Chapter 5

*****Alright, I totally re-edited this chapter because I didn't like where I left it before, nor how Billie and Chris interacted, so here's the newer version.*****

**Just so everyone knows, some time has elapsed since the last chapter. Basically, Billie tracked the Charmed Ones down and got them to train her. She hasn't met Chris yet because he's been in the Underworld tracking down and killing various demons. But, never fear. He's about to make a re-appearance and see Billie again for the first time face to face. **

Paige was dragging her feet to the front door as Billie skipped in behind her. She resisted the temptation to turn and glare at the younger, more perkier, girl and instead ignored her, walking into the kitchen to whine to Piper.

Piper as always was taking something delicious smelling out of the oven and placing it on a cooling rack. She flipped her long dark hair to one side and looked up, smiling at Paige's grumpy face.

"Richard is being such a jerk," she complained, propping her frowning chin on a fist.

Piper cocked an eyebrow. "Trouble in paradise already?"

"He thinks I should stay away from him because of what happened to Billie today."

Piper was immediately concerned and walked around the counter to stare down at Paige. "What happened to Billie today?" she demanded anxiously.

Whoops.

Paige gave her an over-bright smile and looked up at her scowling big sister. "Nothing much-just a teensy, weensy, little… curse."

Piper's eyebrows shot up off her forehead. "What? What happened? How did she get _cursed_?"

Paige stood up quickly and held up her hands in appeasement. "Don't worry. I reversed it."

Piper just looked at her expectantly and Paige sighed, pursing her ruby red lips in defeat.

"She sort of found Richard's family's secret dark magic room. She touched something in there that made everything explode whenever she spoke. It was a—whole—big," she waved her hands around trying to get out the right word, "thing. But, the curse is reversed, Billie's fine, and magic wasn't exposed." She turned and walked quickly out of the kitchen with Piper hot on her heels.

Billie was lounging on the couch reading a People magazine and chewing on a piece of her blonde hair. She looked up and smiled when Piper and Paige walked into the room. Before she could get a word out, Piper lit into her, lightly smacking her foot off the arm of the sofa.

"Do you know how lucky you are, missy? You could have been killed! Worse, you could have killed someone else."

Paige broke in to try and shield Billie from some of the onslaught. "Piper, I've already talked to her about snooping and touching things in other people's houses. She feels really bad."

Billie looked down at the floor guiltily. "I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have been nosy, but I couldn't help it. That house was so full of cool shit— stuff," she amended when she saw Paige's raised brow, "I won't do it again."

"You're right you'll never do it again because you're not going over there _ever__again_." And with that she turned around to walk back to the kitchen, but Billie followed quickly.

"_What?_ I said I was sorry."

"Paige, what the hell is Richard doing with an evil dark magic room anyway?"

Paige looked away and bit her lip. "It's left over from the feud. He hasn't cleared it out yet."

"Well, make sure that he does," she ordered snippily, shaking her head. What the hell was with her sisters attracting guys with severe magical problems? It was a curse, she was sure, thinking of her own problems with Leo. No, she told herself firmly, tying her hair back in a ponytail, she would not think about that today. He was doing his own thing and… so would she.

"Where the hell is Chris when you need him?" Paige muttered, "I mean, what good is a Whitelighter who's never here?"

Billie frowned. She had yet to meet Chris, but he sounded like a real drag. "From what you say, isn't that a good thing?"

Paige sighed. "Whatever Chris' hang ups are, he's still our Whitelighter, just like I'm yours. His heart is in the right place even if his mouth needs a gag sometimes."

Even Piper cracked a smile at that. Billie looked past her to where she saw the first blue orbs appearing and then everyone heard the tinkling announcing the arrival of the very person they had just been speaking of.

The sisters turned and Billie's jaw went slack as she stared at the most gorgeous guy she'd ever seen. Her face flushed and nervousness pooled in her stomach as his eyes connected with hers.

Chris felt like a train slammed into him. There was no mistaking that face or those eyes. There were no faint lines around the outside of them yet, and the hair was certainly a richer shade of blonde… but it was Billie.

A younger version who was currently staring at him in a way that made him very uncomfortable. In more ways than one.

"Billie? Is that you?" he breathed. He felt like he was in shock. "What are you doing here?" She wasn't supposed to meet his mom and aunts for another two years. Great. He'd somehow changed more than what he'd intended to.

Piper and Paige frowned in confusion and looked at Billie. "You two know each other?" Piper asked slowly, eying the way Billie seemed unable to speak for the first time in her life.

Billie shook her head slowly, still looking shell-shocked. "I—We've… never met."

Paige looked at Chris. "You know her from the future then?"

Chris shook his head and broke off eye contact. "I can't tell you."

Paige threw up her hands in exasperation. "I am _really_ not in the mood today, Chris. Tell us what you know or I'll cast a truth spell on you. Now," she ordered in a louder voice.

He rolled his eyes and sighed in defeat. It couldn't possibly matter, could it? "Alright. Yeah, I know Billie from the future. She was… is… a friend of yours. Of all of you. Her training wasn't supposed to begin for another two years. Seeing her here caught me off guard." At their expectant faces, he squared his shoulders. "That's all I'm saying. I don't want to change the future anymore than I already have."

Piper was surprised that this girl was so important to them that they stayed friends for so long. But, she wasn't unhappy about it. Cocking an eyebrow at Paige, she smirked, "Well, I guess you two are going to be with each other for a very long time."

Billie brightened at that, while Paige just sighed and rolled her eyes heavenward. "Chris, did you find whatever you were looking for in the Underworld?"

Chris clenched is jaw and rubbed his temple. "Yes and no. It's getting to be harder than I'd thought. Where's Phoebe? Have you guys been training while I was gone?"

"Yes, we have if by training you mean fighting demons. And Phoebe's on a date with Jason. He wants her to move to Hong Kong or something."

He stopped up short and the two sisters exchanged amused glances. "She said no right? Of course she did, because anything else would be stupid and crazy." And exactly what one of them would pull.

"Chris, relax. That's why we've got Billie. She helps us out when we need a personal life and in return we train her." 

Billie rolled her eyes as she trailed behind. "Training- also known as bossing me around and never letting me have any fun," she muttered, sticking her hands in her pockets. She hardly ever got to fight any demons nowadays.

Chris didn't bite her head off which surprised the sisters and they glanced at him. He bit his lip. One day Billie, you're going to have so much fun it'll almost kill you.

"That's what whitelighters are for," he said lightly, walking into the kitchen to grab something to eat. They walked in after him.

"So Paige, how's your charge doing?" he asked, biting into an apple.

She looked at him in surprise. "How did you know Billie's my charge?"

He tapped his head with one finger and she sighed. "Oh right. The future. You could've warned me," she mumbled and Billie glared at her. "Well, did I do a good job, at least? Can't you tell us anything?"

He thought about her request very carefully. For some reason he wanted Billie to know how she meant to him in the future after most of his family was killed. How much she'd helped keep them all alive. The others watched him as he put the core in the trash and wiped his hands.

He sighed. "Yes, Paige, you did a good job. An excellent job." He looked at Billie for the first time since the shock of seeing her when he orbed in and gave her a small smile. She turned just the faintest touch of red and looked away for a second before smiling back at him.

What the hell is going on between those two? Piper wondered. In the future, Billie had to be at least twenty years older than him. She sighed and picked up a knife to start carving up the ham that had been cooling. Oh well, maybe Chris would finally 'get some' and get off their backs.

Paige loudly cleared her throat and looked at Billie. "You're training isn't over yet. We've got work to do."

_Aarrgh,_ she thought. "Can I just study on my own, please? You can quiz me later." She knew Paige was about to say no, so she tried a different tactic. "Don't you have to meet Richard tonight anyway?"

She'd forgotten that they had made plans and smacked her forehead.

Chris looked over at her. "Are you serious? Richard? The guy that's some weird magic addict?"

She glared at him and put her hands on her hips. "Not that it's any of your business, but yes, Richard and I are dating."

"More like babysitting," Billie muttered, looking away and then cringing when she saw Paige glaring at her too. "Sorry."

Paige looked at Chris. "If it's so important to you then you train her tonight."

His eyes widened and he almost choked on his drink. Past-Billie was someone who he did not want to get too close to. He slid off the counter quickly and backed away. "What? No, no way. She's your charge, not mine."

Wow, Billie thought sourly, "How about no one trains me and I go to the movies?"

"No," they both said in unison.

"My first year in college," she muttered, "supposed to be having fun… uptight…"

Chris sighed. Billie wasn't even supposed to be here. What if he directly influenced her and she turned out to not be as strong as she was supposed to be? They could all die.

"Look you're a Charmed One. She's your responsibility, not that you even have a concept of the word, and it's up to you to train her." Even if it might be too soon, he thought silently. "You're her Whitelighter. If anything happens to her it's your fault, just like it's my fault if anything happens to you three." Why didn't they get what he was trying to tell them?

"Responsibility? I don't _understand_ what _responsibility_ is?" She was furious. "I've been taking care of myself since I was sixteen and guess what? I did it without _your_ help," she snapped, grabbing her purse off the counter, "What the hell do you know anyway? You're just some neurotic basket case."

Piper called after her, but Paige was gone, slamming the door behind her. Chris panicked. What if a demon attacked her while she was out God-knows-where and he couldn't get to her fast enough. He started to orb, but Piper stopped him.

"Let her go. She needs to be alone for awhile."

He looked incredulously at her. "She could get killed."

Piper sighed. "And you could get killed if you confront her right now. Figuratively speaking of course."

They didn't know that he was like Paige, half-Whitelighter, half-witch. He could be killed _literally_speaking. Paige was the one that he was most like. She'd always been there for him when he was a kid… when his mom had been to worried or busy to deal with his problems. He didn't hold it against Piper or anything like that. Between Wyatt and his father her life was crammed full with worry.

He felt really guilty now about what he'd said to Paige. It was frustrating not being able to tell them everything. They didn't understand that he had the fate of the world on his shoulders and he couldn't afford to mince words or care about people's feelings.

He looked at Billie and his mom. She didn't even know she was his mom, and Billie… she was so young and beautiful and carefree. She didn't know that at this very moment, decades in the future, she was being held prisoner and probably tortured. By his own brother. This job sucked more than anything he'd ever had to do and nobody cared.

He looked away from them and orbed.

XXXXXXXXXX

Billie padded down the hallway making sure that she didn't wake anyone up. She got to the end and opened the door leading up to the attic, closing it very softly behind her. Paige and Chris had never come home that night so Piper let her sleepover just in case something happened.

She couldn't sleep and wanted to get some studying in. The attic was dark and just a little chilly, but she rummaged around for a lighter and some candles. She lit the first candle and, turning around to sit on the loveseat, almost let out a scream.

Faster than he looked, Chris was in front of her with a hand clamped over her mouth. "It's just me," he whispered, watching her eyes adjust to the dim light and recognize him. He took his hand away and stepped back.

"You scared the shit out of me," she hissed, still shaking from the fright. She moved to the couch and threw herself on it dramatically, trying to still her pounding heart. Chris didn't move from his position. "What are you doing here? We didn't hear you come home."

Home, he thought. That word sounded nice. "I didn't want to disturb anyone. I was just looking something up in the Book."

"Oh. Paige never came home." She looked at him as he finally sat back down next to her and took the Book back into his lap. He was tired, she noticed. He hunched over, turning pages slowly, and every now and then he would brush a lock of hair out of his face.

"That's not my fault," he said.

"I didn't mean that," she said quickly, but he shut the book and looked at her.

"I have a job to do and all they seem to care about is whatever guy they're seeing at the moment and radio interviews. I have to make them see that if they don't start taking this seriously they're going to die." Crap! "I mean, you know, eventually," he mumbled. Why was he even talking to her? This isn't the same Billie, he reminded himself. This was the past and everything was different here.

"Paige told me about why you're here. Wyatt gets killed or something by a demon who wants destroys the world?"

It'd be simpler if that was it. "Yeah," he said tiredly, "only he _does_destroy the world."

Billie was quiet for a moment. He seemed like he was really beating himself up about this. She leaned forward wanting to comfort him and put a hand lightly on his back. "It's tough. You're from the future and you can't tell them certain things. But, that also makes it harder for them to trust you. I know," she said with an irritated smile, "They don't even trust me all the way yet."

"I don't care if they trust me or not," he said bitterly, "I only care if they do what is needed to protect the world. Their _jobs._"

"So you're doing all this for Wyatt? Were you two friends or something?"

Friends? Never. Wyatt had minions, not friends. "It's complicated. Wyatt died and therefore the demon that killed him was able to take over the world." He turned to her and was so close that she could see his green eyes, the curve of his jaw, the way his hair fell over his brow…

"I know that they wish Leo was here instead of me," he said, in a low voice, "and I know that I'm not a lot of fun. But, I don't care. If there was another way, believe me I would take it, but there's not."

Her hand moved sympathetically in small circles on his back. "Is that what you were doing in the Underworld? Looking for another way?"

He almost answered her, but stopped himself. This was his mission, not hers. He glanced up to tell her that, and noticed how blue her eyes were, and how her brow furrowed with worry for him. And the way her light blonde hair fell across her face, lightly brushing her cheekbones and shoulders.

He became acutely aware of their closeness and grew uncomfortable. He was not attracted to Billie. That would be sick. She was practically a relative, like one of his aunts. "I—I have to go. Here's the Book."

She was frustrated that he pulled away just as she was about to get some answers. Before he walked out of the room she turned around to look over the back of the couch.

"You're hiding something from them," she called out quietly, and he stopped abruptly to look at her, "and the sisters know it. As long as you do that they will never trust or help you. Whatever your _real_mission is, if you need them, you have to get them to trust you which means you have to get to _know_ them."

He considered her words as he left them room. She was right. He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled a breath. He had to gain their trust somehow. He'd already aided them in missions and battles, but apparently that wasn't enough.

Maybe he should go through with his plan. It was risky, but he would be able to control the outcome. The sisters had to learn that their personal lives didn't matter as long as Wyatt was still a threat. Maybe if they got exactly what they wanted they would finally believe him.

XXXXX

A lone figure stood in the middle of the dark, otherwise empty room. He cast his head to the side as he heard the demon arrive.

"Do you have what I need yet?"

The thing shrouded in old rags and a cloak, bowed its head. "My Lord Wyatt, I do not. Your brother took the only copy of the spell and it will take more time to figure out a way to send you back to him… and get you back here again."

Wyatt pursed his lips, but did not berate his servant. "Nothing has changed so far, so you still have time."

The demon bowed and made as if to leave, but Wyatt stopped him again.

"But, Krazoc—Hurry."

He nodded and disappeared in flames, leaving Wyatt alone once more. Almost.

"You're going to lose, Wyatt."

He turned to look impassively at Billie, who was sitting in a comfortable chair with her hands tied behind her back. Other than a bruise on her cheekbone, there was no telltale signs of her captivity.

He casually sauntered toward her and bent down until he was eye level. His eyes roved over her face and one hand lifted to stroke the bruise on her cheek. "What makes you say that?"

She didn't bother jerking her head away from him. "Because Chris is better than you. He'll die before giving up. And he has the Charmed Ones on his side."

Wyatt sneered and gripped her face tighter. "I am more powerful than the Charmed Ones, my love. And so far, it doesn't look like he's accomplished much, does it? You're still here," he whispered, his mouth moving closer to hers, "with me."

Tears stung her eyes and she was too embarrassed to even look at him squarely. "Only because you forced me… to stay. And I say that Chris is better because if it were me, I would've killed baby-you already."

Her words rolled off him like water and the grip on her jaw tightened until she winced in pain. He jerked her to a standing position.

"What are you doing?" she asked fearfully, looking around for any sort of blow or attack. But, all she saw was dark orbs swirling around their bodies. A nauseous feeling washed over her and she felt like all gravity in the room was tripled.

They reappeared in Wyatt's bedroom and she tried to pull away from him, but of course he was stronger. Even more so now that he had bound her powers. She knew what he wanted from her and out of fear and anger she lashed out, striking him across the face.

His head turned to absorb most of the blow.

"You're going to pay for that," he promised, not even bothering to rub his cheek.

He ripped off her restraints and telekinetically knocked her back on the bed. He had forced her to wear clothes that he picked out and though initially she'd refused, he threatened to make her go naked instead. So she took them and wore them though they were incredibly slutty in her opinion. Something a demon hooker would wear.

Billie quickly recovered and rolled over putting her arms up as some sort of weak barrier. The worst part was never knowing what he was going to do next.

"Wyatt, you can't do this." Reasoning never worked but she couldn't stop trying. "This is wrong."

"I _can__'__t_?" he mocked, pushing one knee onto the bed next to her.

The now-familiar sick feeling coiled in her stomach whenever he came close to her. Her body was tensed to fight him off even though she knew how it would end.

"I can _do_ whatever I want—_have_ whatever I want. There is no one more powerful than me in this world.

His other knee pressed onto the mattress so that he was straddling her thighs. She swallowed hard.

"Wyatt." Her voice came out not as strong as she'd like it; in fact it was downright weak. He stopped and looked down at her, letting the cocky smile fade away from him face.

Without speaking a word, her eyes told him everything he wanted to know. How sick she felt, how she wished his parents were still alive, how she wanted him not to feel the way he felt about her, and lastly, how she wanted to hurt him as bad as he had hurt her.

His eyes darkened and he slammed his fists down on either side of her, leaning over quickly so that she shrank back into the mattress.

"Stop it," he hissed, "You are mine forever. Would you rather be dead? Is that what you want?"

A couple heartbeats passed and a tear slid down the side of her face.

"Yes."

Wyatt looked down at her with a cold expression, tracing his fingertips over her shoulders and arms, letting them just graze the sides of her breasts. He pulled away and sat back.

"I don't care. I'll never let you go."

And there was nothing she could do to stop him from having her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Alright, next chapter. It was going to be longer but then it kept dragging on and got kind of boring so I cut some out. Don't worry. Next chapter will be up soon.**

All Billie could think about was Chris. The way his hair fell over his forehead, his nose, the curve of his jaw, the crazy determination in his eyes… She sighed. She'd only known him for one day and already she couldn't get him off her mind. The way he'd looked last night made her feel so bad for him and she wanted to help, but how could she when he wouldn't open up to her?

He just met you, idiot. She groaned and rolled over in Phoebe's bed, clutching a pillow and wrapping her arms around it. This was bad. She hadn't crushed this hard since ninth grade and of course it would have to be with the one person she wasn't allowed to have feelings for.

Damn his pretty face. She punched the pillow and sat up, sighing. The clock read 7:15. There was no point in staying in bed any longer, since there was no way she was going to go back to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, her mind wandered until without warning she found herself in the midst of a steamy sexual fantasy.

Ugh! How was she supposed to act normal when she'd just spent the entire night imagining doing things to him that would make even Phoebe blush?

Wandering down the stairs, she heard sounds coming from the kitchen and made her way to it. Everyone was in there and they all looked over. She avoided eye contact with Chris.

Piper smiled, looking her over critically. "You're up early… for you. Did you have a late night?"

She nodded tiredly and made herself a cup of coffee. "How do you guys ever sleep with the Book of Shadows up there? It's like every time I turn the page there's something else."

"Oh. Well, after magic ruins your life a few times you find yourself having no problem with only opening that thing when you need to." Paige wasn't a morning person either.

"Reading about anything in particular?" Piper asked, glancing at her with her usual penetrating look. Sometimes it made Billie uncomfortable, like even if she wasn't lying about something she would feel like she was.

She hesitated, not wanting to tell them what she was really trying to find. Her pause did not go unnoticed. "Oh you know, I was getting some studying in for all those quizzes you give me… all the time." She sipped her coffee slowly, letting the warmth seep into her brain and hopefully, wake her up a bit.

"Well, there's breakfast on the table if you're hungry."

Billie nodded and slid off the stool, walking over to the table and inwardly cringing as she took the only empty seat… in between Phoebe and Chris. At least the table wasn't crowded so there would be no accidental touching of elbows or fingers. Thank God he wasn't even aware of her presence right now, although she thought that a little forlornly.

Her eyes dropped to his fingers which were currently curved around his coffee cup and noticed how long and tapered they were. He had very attractive hands. Images of them touching her flashed through her mind and her cheeks flamed.

"Are you okay?" Paige asked, staring at her, and Billie snapped her eyes to her face, well aware that now everyone was once again looking at her, including Chris.

"I'm fine," she laughed awkwardly, hoping that she hadn't been caught ogling their whitelighter. "I was just wondering what we're doing today? You know, I've been reading in the paper about these weird attacks that have been-,"

Phoebe groaned loudly and leaned back, effectively cutting her off. "Well, I've got to do an interview and then meet Jason for lunch."

Chris threw his fork onto his plate, but everyone ignored him.

Paige raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Didn't you just have a sleepover last night?"

"Yeah, it was amazing-,"

Chris cocked his head into a hand trying to block out the conversation.

"—He's so sweet and nice. He's always buying me presents and surprising me at work."

Piper kept her face neutral and walked closer to the table, leaning back against the counter. "Has he said anything more about Hong Kong?"

Phoebe looked down at her plate, the smile fading from her face. "He really wants me to go," she said quietly. "And how do I tell him that I can't?"

"It's easy," Chris broke in, "You tell him you have responsibilities that you can't just up and _abandon_."

Every girl at the table gave him a dirty look.

"Yeah, Chris, that's easy for you to say, but as far as Jason knows the only responsibility I have is my job which Elise has given me permission to do from Hong Kong. I can't tell him that I won't go with him because I'll miss my sisters." She looked at the two of them. "He'll break up with me for sure."

"Why don't you tell him that if he really loved you he'd stay here, instead of making you move?" Billie suggested. "Why shouldn't he have to sacrifice anything? Or you could tell him you're a witch?"

Phoebe choked on her toast and had to chug her OJ to get it down. "Billie, I can't just tell Jason I'm witch. What if he freaks out?"

"What if he doesn't?"

Billie looked at Paige in surprise. It wasn't often that she backed her up. It spurred her on to add, "What about a Truth spell? That way you find out how he really feels but he won't remember the next day."

"I've thought about that, Billie, but it's personal gain." Her voice was laced with frustration. "He's a good guy and I don't want to lose him."

Piper spoke up. "Well, even if you do tell him, it won't make your lives any easier. Look at me and Leo. But, at least you won't be lying anymore."

Phoebe nodded and leaned back, obviously thinking about what she was going to do.

Paige looked around and decided to be the one to break the silence.

"Well, we're not going to be able to train today, Billie. I've got to go over to Richard's and help him clean out that room. Besides, don't you have school today?"

She shook her head. "I've just got to take a Math test. I was wondering if I could come back afterwards and look at the Book?"

Any mention of the Book got Piper's attention. "You know, I don't give _that_ many quizzes, Billie."

Paige gave her a look. "I beg to differ, sister dear. Remember when I first found out I was a witch? You were obsessive."

Piper glared at her. "Well, I _had_ to be. Prue had just died and the Source was after us. It's not that easy being the oldest."

"After that."

"You were using the Book for personal gain, Paige. Someone had to be the adult around here what with Phoebe, the Eternal Child running around with Cole who was demonically lojacked. Before he became the Source of course."

Billie couldn't help it and burst out laughing. "You used the Book for personal gain? What did you do?"

"I helped people," Paige answered primly, scooting her chair back. "Besides, I didn't know about the rules back then. That's why we want to make sure that you do."

"Where are you going?" Chris asked in an irritated voice.

"To take a shower and then to Richard's house."

"What if a demon attacks while you're gone? You're leaving Piper vulnerable," he argued.

She rolled her eyes. "Piper can blow things up with her hands, Chris, and I can hear people calling for me in my head. How vulnerable can she be?"

"Go," Piper ordered, "I'll be fine."

Paige gave Chris an 'I told you so' look and walked away, with Phoebe slipping out to follow her up the stairs.

He turned and glared at his mother. "How can you be okay with this? They're constantly leaving you to go be with their boyfriends. You can't tell me that it doesn't bother you."

The look in her eyes told him that he was closer to being right than she would admit, which of course she didn't. "It doesn't bother me, Chris. We have to balance our human lives out with our magical ones."

"But, this isn't balance," he insisted, "Your magical lives are more important than anything else." What would it take to get through to them? He cast a thoughtful glance down at Wyatt and Piper became nervous.

"What is it?"

Chris bit his lip and glanced at Billie, thinking about what she'd said last night. His plan was dangerous and if they found out about it, it would destroy everything he'd worked for the last few months. Should he try her way first? His voice was quiet when he looked back at his mother and tried to convey something—_anything_—about how important this was to him. He knew that above everything else, she loved her child.

"In the future, the only thing more powerful than the Charmed Ones is Wyatt. Something happens and a demon gets to him. Because of that, the balance of magic is tipped in favor of evil and there's no one left powerful enough to stop him." His words were affecting her he could tell.

She swallowed hard and blinked back tears. "But, why can't you tell us who this demon is?"

He didn't get angry or frustrated with her. "Because the demon who rules the world in the future isn't the same one who gets Wyatt… and I don't know which demon it was. That's why I've been sending you guys on these crazy missions. I'm trying eliminate as many as possible and hope I get the right one."

Piper was shaken by what he'd told her. Some of it she'd heard before, but it was different this time. His tone was different. "Why wasn't Leo there? He's an Elder. He can't die."

In his future, Leo hadn't been an Elder. He couldn't tell her that the only reason Leo was one was because of him. But, thanks to Wyatt there was another explanation. One that would break her heart, he knew sadly.

"In my future, the demon killed all the Elders. All the ones left after the Titans anyway."

To say that she was highly upset was an understatement. "But, how?" she asked angrily, "No one can get up there except for a Whitelighter."

He would have to lie about that. "He tricked a Whitelighter into taking him up there and then he killed the Elders with a Darklighter's poison arrow."

It was overwhelming and hard to process. But before she could ask yet another question, he stopped her. "I can't tell you any more than that, Piper. I've only told you this much because I was hoping I would finally gain your trust. I realize that it's hard to trust someone who won't trust you in return. And I do, Piper. I trust you to do the right thing."

He almost turned to walk away, but stopped, adding the icing to the cake, so to speak.

"I've given up my life to help my future world- yours and Phoebe's and Paige's _children's_ future world- and I'm nowhere near powerful enough to it alone."

He walked away finally, leaving Piper staring after him.

XXXXX

Well, after what happened at breakfast how did anyone expect her to concentrate on a boring Math test? Besides, she was a powerful witch. What did she need Math for? Racing through it, she handed it in and walked quickly to her car. She had to get back to the manor to look through the Book… and talk to the sisters of course. Chris dropped some bombshells this morning and Piper definitely would've called the other two to talk.

Sure enough, as soon as she walked through the door she saw the three of them. And they all looked glum and depressed.

"What's going on, guys?"

Paige sighed. "Nothing. Just realizing that we will never have normal lives as long as we live. Which according to Piper won't be for much longer."

"I'm just telling you what Chris told me. Billie was there too."

Billie walked quietly over to the couch and sat down.

"Yeah, and how do we know he's not lying?" Phoebe asked, anger coloring her tone. She had the most to lose out of the three of them. "It's not like he hasn't before. We're just supposed to give up everything that makes us happy to go kill demons on the off chance we'll get the right one?"

Piper was quiet. "But what if he's not lying? I don't know what to do, but whatever it is we need to stick together, and lately… we haven't been." She looked up at Phoebe in resolve. "I know how much you love Jason because it's how much I love Leo. But, you and I knew what we would be giving up when we turned down the Angel of Destiny's offer to lead normal lives. The only way I can see you and him having a future is if he knows that you're a witch. Otherwise…"

Phoebe looked crushed and couldn't even speak. Piper turned her attention next to Paige.

"Paige, you can't be there for Richard all the time. He has to realize that and either find someone else to lean on or suck it up and get his problems under control. We'll bind his magic if he wants us to."

"Do these rules apply to everyone or just us?" Phoebe asked with an uncharacteristically snide tone.

Piper didn't get angry at her because she knew that her sister was just hurting over all this. "Of course it applies to me too. I've already decided what I'm going to do. Protect Wyatt at all costs."

No one had anything to say to that.

But, Billie had been thinking about something all day since breakfast. "I wonder what happens to me in the future. Chris talked about your kids," she gestured to the three of them, "but he didn't say anything about me or if I have any children."

"Maybe you don't," Piper suggested helpfully. "Did you want any?"

Billie shrugged. "I don't know. I'm only 18. I'd like to know that I have the option if I wanted to. What if the reason I don't have kids is because I never find anyone to have a relationship with?"

"Well, join the club. But, Chris said you weren't supposed to meet us for another two years. Maybe other things have changed too."

"Well, how the hell are _we_," Phoebe said, and jerked her hand to the space between her and Paige, "supposed to conceive without boyfriends? Or husbands? Or any sort of relationship at all?"

Piper eyed her quietly. "He didn't say anything about husbands. Just that we all have children. He did say that Leo dies though. I guess he tries to go up against the demon and it kills him."

The other two looked at her sadly and for the first time, Billie felt the weight of her responsibility as a witch.

"I want to talk to Chris," Phoebe said suddenly. "If I'm even going to think about breaking up with Jason I want us to have a serious talk with him."

"Go ahead and call then," Piper said.

Phoebe glared up at the ceiling and shouted, "Chris! Chris, get your whitelighter ass down here now!"

A few seconds later, he orbed in looking at them hopefully and apprehensively.

The whole reason he'd opened up to Piper this morning was so that the sisters would start trusting him a little more. What if it didn't work? He still had his back-up plan, but it was dangerous. There was a demon who created alternate realities based on his victims innermost desires. But it would eventually kill them.

Of course he would never let it go that far, but it would be enough to teach them the dangers of getting distracted from their duties.

He eyed the three women and then his eyes fell on Billie. She looked worried about something. Probably about what he'd said this morning, but really it had been her idea to gain the Charmed Ones trust. If it worked, he would have her to thank.

"What's up?" he asked nervously. They all looked pissed or sad… either way, they weren't happy with him.

"Here's the thing, Chris," Phoebe said, standing up to face him, "Piper told us what you said this morning. We'll start cooperating with you more, but you have to start being honest with us. You came to us for help for a reason. You can trust us. Now we have to know that we can trust you."

He nodded cautiously. "What do I have to do?"

She looked back at the others for a moment and then at Chris. "If you're here, then that means that future has already changed. Billie being here is proof of that." She took a deep breath. "You need to tell us everything, Chris. Everything that happens in the future."

He was already backing away and shaking his head. "No way. I can't. There are still some things that have to happen and by knowing what they are you put everything in jeopardy."

Paige was frustrated. "How do you know they're not already in jeopardy? Just being here in our time changes the future."

He still shook his head. "You just have to trust me."

"Well, then you have to tell us more than what you told Piper this morning."

"Why don't I have any kids in the future?" Billie piped up.

Startled, he looked at her in worry and confusion. "Who says that you don't?"

"Well, you did this morning. You said the three of them have kids, but you didn't mention me."

He was caught off guard. "I—uh, I don't know why you never had kids. You never told me. Maybe it's because you had to fight demons almost every day of your life."

She looked miserable and he felt bad, but there nothing he could do about it.

"I'm not saying anymore," he declared angrily, "Everything I've told you should be more than enough to go on."

Phoebe lost her temper that she was trying desperately to hold on to. "Well, it's not," she yelled. "You think we're just going to trust that what you've told us is true without knowing all the facts? You say you know us in the future. Are we idiots or something? With our past, you should've known you would have to tell us more."

And then to everyone's shock, he simply orbed out. Phoebe stared at the now empty space and then turned to Piper. "What the hell?"

XXXXX

Deep in the Underworld, the tinkling sound of a whitelighter orbing in could be heard. That is if there was anyone to hear it. The one person around to care had survived for centuries by playing both sides and so didn't sound any alarm or attempt to kill him.

"I need you to do me a favor."

"What's in it for me?"

Chris pulled out a bag full of money and handed it to him. The demon grinned and took it, eyeing Chris thoughtfully.

"What do you want?"

Chris eyed the demon's 'home' and finally saw what he'd come here for. "I need you to scan someone for me. For evil."

The demon grinned horribly. "This much money for a simple request?"

"The person is important to me," Chris responded stiffly. "Can you do it or not?"

"Of course I can do it. That's why you came here isn't it?"

That, and Chris had worked with him in the future. He'd worked with a lot of demons actually. The demon he wanted to find however was deep inside this place, almost impossible to get to. And terrifyingly evil at this point in history. Drok hadn't turned until Wyatt had wiped out most of the Underworld and rebuilt it. Drok would rather die than serve Wyatt. It was his pride that had kept him alive for so long because if he had tried to side with Wyatt he would've been killed. There was no way his brother would've let such a powerful upper-level demon live for long.

Chris shook off his thoughts and focused on the task at hand. If there was good news, then maybe it would mean that he had killed whatever demon turned Wyatt evil. Or still had yet to find it.

"Just follow me and I'll sneak you in."

XXXXX

"Milord, I have it." The demon bowed smilingly.

Wyatt looked triumphant. "The spell?"

He nodded. "And unlike the spell your brother used, this one goes both ways. You, milord, can go retrieve him and then safely return and destroy the spell."

Wyatt glared down at the demon coldly. "Do I look like a dog to you? I will not be going."

"B-but, who then?' the demon stuttered, forgetting his master's mood swings.

A thin leather-clad figure slowly walked into the candlelight and looked coldly down at him. She was beautiful and deadly.

"Bianca," Wyatt greeted unemotionally, "you know what to do."

She nodded and jerked the spell out of the trembling hands of Krazoc. "Get me what I need."


	7. Chapter 7

**AN- I think at this point I should clarify my take on something. The way I'm doing this story is that Chris was lying when he came back to save the Charmed One's from the Titans. Paige never died- it was just part of his cover. That's all. I just couldn't remember if I'd mentioned that in the beginning.**

The demon stood over baby Wyatt's crib, methodically scanning him. It was a slow process and Chris kept nervously looking over his shoulder at the door. His mother and aunts were probably furious with him for just orbing out, but they didn't know that he couldn't tell them anything until he was sure that Wyatt was safe. If everything turned out good then he might divulge more information, but 'til then…

"What's taking so long?" Chris asked, trying to hurry him up. "The sisters aren't going to stay oblivious for long."

"It's a slow process but one that's foolproof. If there is any evil in this child my wand will be able to detect it." The old bastard's voice droned on and it pissed Chris off. But he needed this information badly and so he quieted down.

Ten minutes later, there was still no word. Chris was sweating. He broke off maintaining the Charmed One's whereabouts within the house and turned his attention to the demon.

"Anything?"

The demon shook his head.

"So maybe he hasn't turned yet," Chris murmured, thinking quickly. Somehow he knew that he wasn't lucky enough to have killed the demon already.

"What the hell is going on?"

_Boom!_

An explosion knocked him off balance and he scrambled to his feet quickly. Piper had her hands out with an enraged look on her face. The demon shimmered away leaving Chris behind to deal with the aftermath. To make matters worse, everyone else had heard the noise and rushed upstairs, and, in Billie's case downstairs, to find out what was going on.

Wow, she'd gotten upstairs quick. "Piper, it's not what you think," he started, trying to walk towards her, but she raised her hands again, causing him to stop in fear.

"So that _wasn't_ a demon hovering over my son's crib?"

"What?" Phoebe asked incredulously, "There was a demon attacking Wyatt?"

"He wasn't attacking Wyatt. He was scanning him… for evil." Chris swallowed. Things had just taken a very bad turn.

"Wait, you let a demon into the house?"

"Why was he scanning my son for evil?" Piper almost had steam coming out of her ears.

He was tongue-tied on that one for a few seconds and that was all Piper needed.

"We trusted you. I trusted you and then you pull a stunt like this? Get out of my house now," she ordered.

His heart sank. "Piper, please, you can still trust me. I _told_ you that a demon gets to Wyatt in the future."

Her face twisted in anger. "Yeah,now it seems more likely that you _let_ a demon get to him. Get out before I blow you up."

Billie watched everything unfold helplessly and didn't know what to say. Chris walked quickly out of the room and her eyes followed him as he orbed out mid-stride.

"So... is he evil?" Paige asked, as confused as the rest of them.

"I don't know," Piper said tightly, grabbing Wyatt and backing out of the room, "But, Leo was right. We can't trust him."

With the sisters absorbed in this seeming betrayal, Billie was able to grab her keys and sneak out the front door. Maybe it was all just a misunderstanding and could be resolved. Chris had spent weeks and weeks hunting down demons. Why would he let one in Wyatt's room to hurt him?

She got in her car and drove away to the first (and closest) deserted place she could think of- the abandoned warehouse where she'd first seen the Charmed One's.

XXXXX

Chris was so angry he could hardly think straight. How could he have been so careless? Above all, how could he get himself out of this mess? He _needed_ the power of the Charmed One's to destroy whatever demon was behind his brother's descent into darkness.

He kicked an empty soda can in frustration and listened as it clanked off the walls of the narrow alley. He had to find a way to make this right. Maybe he could tell the sisters everything and they would see he was being truthful. Billie had told him to trust them and if all else failed to tell them everything. She wasn't stupid.

He tightened his jaw. What if by telling them, he caused that dark future to come about in some way? What if by telling them who Wyatt becomes he inadvertently causes his downfall? Time travel was a tricky business and wasn't something you wanted to mess with.

But, what other choice did he have, short of orchestrating some rescue mission that painted him in a good light?

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice calling him. It was Billie. She wasn't at the manor and he could sense she wasn't in danger.

He couldn't be bothered right now. She only wanted to talk to him and pester him with questions that he couldn't answer. He ignored her and ran a hand through his hair, contemplating his next move.

"Hello, Chris."

He froze. That voice...

Turning slowly around, he saw Bianca standing just a few yards away, smiling at him. But, it wasn't the same smile he remembered. And she was dressed different.

"Bianca... what are you doing here? Did Billie send you?" He looked her up and down and suddenly snapped his eyes back to her face. It was hard and angry and somehow he knew that she'd been turned.

Bianca smiled thinly. "He stripped Billie of her powers. I am here to bring you back."

Chris stepped away and narrowed his eyes. "I'm not going with you."

She looked at him with cold determination. "He's promised to forgive you."

He laughed harshly and prepared to orb. "Until he realizes that I will never join him and then he'll kill me. Just like the rest of my family."

She paused in her advance. "Not all of them are dead. That demon and your cousins still elude me. But not for long. Soon I'll find them and bring them to him. He will decide their fates."

Chris shook his head. "How did he get to you, Bianca? How did he turn you?"

Bianca looked at him again, this time with sorrow in her eyes. "He's very powerful with many methods at his disposal." That was all she'd say about it and shook herself. She had a mission to finish and couldn't afford to let her emotions get in the way.

Her sadness had caught him off guard and before he could get away she was standing close and thrust her hand into his body. The most blinding pain he'd ever felt washed over him and he could only gasp in agony as dark magic permeated throughout him, draining him of most of his energy.

Then she withdrew her hand and stepped back, cupping his pale cheek. "I'm sorry, Chris, but this is for the best. You can't fight him. No one can." Then she left and he slumped to the ground, shaking.

There was no mark on him, no wound where her hand had been, but he felt different- sick and weak. Billie was calling him again, this time she was angry. She was closer than the manor was and he hoped he could get to her in time. Bianca was an assassin and they were very tightlipped on their coven's magical methods for getting their missions done. He knew that she'd poisoned him somehow, but he didn't know if there was an antidote for it in this time.

With all of his remaining strength, he reached out to Billie and orbed.

XXXXX

Billie was in the middle of ranting to the sky, when all of a sudden she heard a tinkling of bells. Satisfied that he'd finally believed her threats to keep calling until he answered, she looked toward the blue light, ready to let him have it for making her wait so long.

But, very quickly Chris fell to his knees clutching his stomach, and Billie rushed over and put her arms around him.

"Oh my God, what happened to you?"

He looked up briefly and winced as another bout of nausea washed over him. "Get me to the manor."

"Paige!" Billie called loudly and began helping Chris up to her car. No one came. "Paige, please I need your help."

They were almost to the car when suddenly Paige appeared, the annoyed look disappearing immediately when she saw Chris was hurt. "What happened?"

Billie shook her head and tried to steady him. "I don't know. I was calling him like forever, and all of a sudden he just appeared like this."

"Poison," Chris gasped out.

"Should we take him to a hospital?"

Chris grabbed Paige's arm. "No, it's magical poisoning." He raised a hand and tried to orb a piece of trash away but nothing happened. "She's taking away my magic."

Billie looked down at him. "Who?"

His mind was swirling and sweat broke out over his forehead. "My girlfriend." His thoughts were starting to get jumbled and he needed to lie down.

Girlfriend? He had a girlfriend? Billie was shocked and felt a surge of what could only be jealousy. Of course he did, she thought bitterly, he was gorgeous and brave and kind. Why wouldn't he have one? Hopefully, he would dump her ass now.

Upon catching Paige's eye, she recovered smoothly and grabbed her hand. They orbed immediately and appeared in the living room with Paige shouting for her sisters.

"Piper! Phoebe!"

Billie helped Chris onto the couch and raised up his shirt to look at where he was clutching. There was nothing there save for a few faint dark vein-like patterns that were starting to leaf out over his chest.

"What going on? Why is he here?" Piper asked, looking at him angrily.

"He said he's been poisoned," Paige told her. "I couldn't just leave him on the street, even if he is a jerk."

He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I was only trying to help. I had to find out." God, he was dizzy.

Piper had to know in spite of herself and came closer. "Find out what?"

He wanted to answer her but the urge to vomit was too much. Another spasm of pain wracked through him.

Billie jerked her head around. "Can we heal him first and then interrogate? Leo!"

Before Piper could shush her, Leo orbed in looking around and smiling, but stopped when he saw Chris. "I thought you said he let a demon into Wyatt's room? What he doing here?"

Billie looked up at him and repeated the story for the third time as quick as she could. "He said a woman poisoned him magically and took his powers. We need you to heal him."

Leo looked at Piper who reluctantly nodded and sighed. Then motioned Billie out of the way and knelt down, placing his hands over Chris' chest. He waited and then frowned when nothing happened.

"I can't," he said incredulously. "He won't heal."

Billie looked down at him in disbelief. "How is that possible?"

He shook his head. "I don't know."

Phoebe threw her hands up in exasperation. "I knew it. He's a demon. You couldn't heal Cole all the way because of his demonic side. That explains so much- his crankiness, his obsessive-"

Jeez. "I'm not a demon." He coughed and then, "You can't heal me with magic."

They looked at Chris who had opened his eyes briefly. "Whatever she did to me is blocking you and draining my magic."

"I thought you said she was your girlfriend," Paige pointed out, smirking and cocking an eyebrow. "What'd you do? Cheat on her? Let a demon into her bedroom?"

He swallowed and shook his head. "Ex-girlfriend now," he weakly joked. "He must have turned Bianca after I left. She's a member of the Phoenix, a coven of powerful assassin witches. She wants to take me back," he gasped out, as another spasm jolted through him.

His vision was going blurry and he knew he only had a few moments left before he lost consciousness. "Piper, I'm sorry. I was trying to help him." And then he faded out.

Piper didn't know what to think. She was still so mad at him, but the way he'd sounded before he passed out sounded so genuine. Could they still trust him? One thing she was sure of was that they could not trust this Bianca person. They would deal with her first.

"Phoebe, check the book for anything on these Phoenix witches. Paige orb over to Richard and see if he's come across any of them during the feud. Leo, see what the other Elders know about her and then meet me upstairs."

Everyone nodded and left while Billie walked over to her. "What should I do?"

Piper thought for a minute and then decided. "You stay here and watch over him. Try and get him to say anything else that might help us help him."

"_What?_ Do nothing?" she protested.

Billie was obviously worried about Chris and Piper took a moment to consider her feelings. "Billie, we need someone down here with him to tell us if things start going bad. What if Bianca shows up again?" She only added that last part to make Billie think there was at least some danger to her assignment. "What if he takes a turn for the worse? We need you down here to keep an eye on things."

Billie looked surprised as if the thought that Bianca might come here hadn't crossed her mind. Then she got a look in her eye that Piper didn't like and nodded. "Fine, I'll stay."

"Billie, I swear if you do anything..."

Billie rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Piper, do you think I'm stupid? Go. I'll be fine."

Piper narrowed her eyes for a moment until finally she reluctantly nodded and walked up the stairs. Billie sighed and turned back to Chris.

Getting a bowl of water and a rag, she spent the next hour carefully sponging off his face and chest. She'd fantasized often about running her hands over his bare chest but there hadn't been poison and fever involved. The dark lines were more pronounced and she bit her lip, worried that this could kill him.

"Patty," he mumbled suddenly, "Sorry... sorry."

She leaned closer. "Who's Patty?"

He didn't answer, just tossed his head back and forth as if having a nightmare. She felt helpless to comfort him and could only smooth the cloth over his brow to cool him down. She tried everything her mother had ever done for her when she was sick, but he didn't look any better. Nothing was working and she wanted to cry.

And then suddenly, he opened his eyes, but she wasn't sure he was actually seeing her. He seemed to be hallucinating or something.

"Am I back? Did I change anything?"

Okay, he recognized her, but she didn't understand what he was talking about. "Chris, it's alright. You're here with me. The sisters are looking for a way to save you as we speak." She dabbed the cloth on his temples and tried to calm him down.

"Is everything the same? Is he evil?" He was breathing faster than normal.

"Is who evil?"

"Wyatt," he gritted out, still obviously in pain.

She paused and looked at him. "Why would Wyatt be evil?"

He groaned and closed his eyes, swallowing thickly. He was so dizzy still and Billie was acting weird. "I thought he killed you, but Bianca said he took your powers."

What the hell?

"Who? Wyatt?" She leaned closer to him, suddenly sure that he thought he was back in future and everything started making sense. But, then _not_, at the same time. He'd said that the demon that was in the baby's room earlier was checking Wyatt for evil.

Holy shit! Was Wyatt evil in the future?

She shook Chris urgently. "Is that the reason you came back here? Because Wyatt turns evil?"

"I failed... failed." He closed his eyes and fell back unconscious. Billie sat back, heart racing.

None of this made any sense, but with Chris unconscious again there was nothing else she could find out. How was she going to tell Piper and Leo? _Should_ she tell them? Chris had kept it a secret for a reason.

Besides, he had a fever and was delirious. How could she be sure that anything he was saying was true?

Suddenly, she heard the sound of tinkling bells and jumped up, turning around. Paige stood there, looking down at Chris in concern.

"How's he doing?"

Billie was frustrated and tired. "He's getting worse. Piper, Leo, and Phoebe are still upstairs looking through the Book. Did you find anything out from Richard?"

"Oh yeah. Turns out the Phoenix is kind of like the Mob of the magical community. It's made up of different covens, and most of them don't even know each other, but they all have one thing in common." Paige flipped her wrist up and tapped it. "Each member is born with a mark on the inside of their wrist. I'll give you three guesses as to what it is."

Billie smiled briefly and rolled her eyes. "What?"

"A phoenix. A bird that bursts into flame when it dies and is reborn in the ashes. It's how they can recognize each other."

The others came walking quickly downstairs, holding the Book. Piper looked at Chris briefly and then addressed Paige.

"What'd you find out?"

Paige recounted what she just told Billie and Phoebe smiled. "That's pretty much what the Book said too. And that these witches are extremely powerful, but it didn't say in what way. Obviously they can steal powers."

"Well, we can't scry for her and the To Call A Lost Witch spell won't work. And potions won't work because we don't have anything of hers. We're pretty much screwed."

Billie looked at Piper incredulously. "You're giving up?"

She sighed and shook her head. "No, of course not. We've dealt with worse than this. We just have to think of something outside the box."

"Well, she wants Chris, right?" Paige volunteered. "Let's just wait 'til she comes to get him, then you blow her up, Piper. Problem solved."

"We can't just use Chris as bait," Billie protested. "He's defenseless. What if she kills him?"

"If she wanted him dead, she wouldn't have bothered with all of this. He said she wants to take him back with her. We're assuming he means the future."

"So someone there doesn't want him messing with the timeline, but what I don't get is why not just send Bianca here to _kill_ him? Why does this guy want her to bring Chris back at all?"

"Well, he did say that she was his girlfriend," Piper pointed out. "Maybe she still has feelings for him?"

Billie's expression soured. "Yeah, she's a big old softie," she said sarcastically, walking back over to Chris to check on him. The gross vein-like things were spreading.

The sisters shared a very amused look- Phoebe even snickered- but kept their comments to themselves.

There was no way she was breaking the possible bad news about Wyatt to Piper or Leo, but she could tell them something else that might help.

"Chris, mentioned a woman's name when he was talking in his sleep- Patty. Does that mean anything? He sounded so sad and kept apologizing for something."

A strange look crossed over Piper's face and Phoebe looked down for a second. Paige looked uncomfortable.

"Patty was our mother's name," Phoebe answered quietly. "But, she died when we were little. Chris is from the future so he couldn't possibly know her."

Piper straightened her back. "It has to be a coincidence. We should focus on trying to find a spell or a potion to help him."

The moment was over.

"I hate to say it, but what about Wyatt?" Paige looked at Piper cautiously, but Piper looked as though she had already thought of it.

"I know Wyatt has conjured before, but this is way different not to mention dangerous. How would he even know who we're talking about? He's never met her before."

Billie froze, still looking at Chris, but her attention was on the conversation behind her. Chris might have been just rambling, but better safe than sorry, right? Leo hadn't said anything yet. He seemed to be thinking and every so often would look at Chris.

She spoke up. "I think Leo should orb Wyatt away from here while all this is going on. If this witch is capable of doing something like this to someone she cares about, what do you think she would do to an innocent bystander who gets in her way? Even a kid.

Piper had never had any real intention of putting her son in harms way. "Billie's right. Whether he thought he was helping or not, Chris betrayed us. I don't want to risk my son getting killed just to save him."

That wasn't exactly what Billie had been thinking, but she guessed it didn't really matter. As long Wyatt got out of the way of the path of evil.

Suddenly, Piper's cellphone started ringing and she glanced at it.

"Hey, Darrell, now's not really a good time."

"Piper Halliwell." The voice on the other end was smooth and cold and somehow she immediately knew who it was.

"Can I assume that this Bianca?" Piper did cold good, too.

"You can."

Piper tried really hard to keep her temper and anxiety in check. Her hands clenched and she tried not to accidentally blow anything up. "What do you want? Where's Darrell?"

A moment of silence on the other end. But then, "There are many things I want, Piper. Chris is one of them, but most immediately is your handsome cop friend. Darrell, isn't it?"

Piper's blood went cold and she froze, her heart skipping a beat. "If you touch him, I swear I'll blow you up limb by limb."

She laughed again. "You can try. If I were you, I'd get Paige to use her whitelighter powers to get over here and save him. Otherwise..." She drifted off meaningfully and once she was sure her point was made, hung up.

Piper stared down at the phone and then snapped her eyes to her sisters. "Bianca's got Darrell. Paige you have to locate him before she kills him."

"He's not at his house?"

Piper didn't have time to explain how she knew, so she snapped out a 'No'. When she was scared her temper got very short. "Billie, wait here. We'll be back."

A second later, Paige got a reading and orbed them away. Billie didn't even have time to ask a question or tell them to be safe. They were gone. She sighed and knelt back down by Chris, running the washcloth over his chest to try and keep him cool.

"Billie," he moaned feverishly, opening his eyes, "you shouldn't be here. Not safe."

"I'm a witch, Chris. I can take care of myself."

He coughed. "I know you can, but-."

"Now isn't this just precious."

Billie snapped to her feet at the strange voice and swallowed when she saw the leather-clad witch. Great.

"Hello Billie."

She darted a confused glance down at Chris then looked back up at Bianca who chuckled darkly.

"Yeah, I know you. Still taking care of Chris. Although, I've never quite seen the two of you so close." There was double meaning behind her words that Billie definitely got and her temper rose.

"What are you talking about? You did this to him."

Bianca smiled. "Yes, I did. If he hasn't got this powers he can't fight me when I take him home."

"You're killing him."

Bianca nodded. "That's why I'm here. If I don't stop the effects, he will die. Now get out of my way." She went to walk past Billie but was knocked back by her telekinesis.

"You're not taking him anywhere." Bianca was stronger than she looked and Billie's power hardly put a dent in her stride. She had to hold her off long enough for the sister's to get back. "What did you do to Darrell?"

Bianca smiled. "Nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you."

Right then, Billie wished Leo hadn't orbed Wyatt away. She could really use his shield right about now. She waved a vase and knocked it over Bianca's head. Instead of retaliating, Bianca glared at her and shimmered away. Billie whirled around, not ready to believe that this wasn't a trick.

"Get out of here," Chris rasped, trying to sit up.

Billie rushed over to him and tried to keep him still. He seemed clearer than he had all afternoon. She pushed down on his shoulders, forcing him back. "She's gone. You have to lie still or you'll get worse."

He closed his eyes and did as she said, mostly because he was too weak to fight her. He had to find a way to make her see that Bianca would kill her. He couldn't bear to lose her too.

"Billie, I know you in the future. Your the most powerful witch I know. More powerful than Bianca."

His voice was low and she realized the space between them wasn't that wide. It made her heart beat faster. Her attention was caught by his words and she couldn't take her eyes off his. They were pleading with her to listen to him.

"But, right now, you're just starting out. Your powers haven't even begun to manifest. I need you to get away from here and call Paige. If you don't then Bianca will kill you and the future will be ruined."

He was pale and breathing hard and she bit her lip. Talking was taking its toll and she had to figure out what to do. She squeezed his hand and stood up quickly. Maybe if Bianca thought she'd left, Billie could surprise her from behind. She couldn't just abandon him.

"I'll be back."

Billie turned and started out out of the living room, but turned quickly when an energy ball crashed into the wall next to her face. She glared at Bianca, who apparently had never left the house.

"You're a real bitch, you know that?"

Bianca smiled. "I've been told." Then she hurled another energy ball and shimmered out when Billie dodged it, only to reappear and throw her back into its path. It hit her shoulder, knocking her back into the wall where she slumped over unconscious.

Without sparing her another look, Bianca strolled over to the couch where Chris was glaring at her hatefully.

"She was leaving. You didn't have to do that."

"Like hell she was. I didn't kill her, Chris. He wouldn't like that. He also wouldn't like how cozy you've gotten with her." Bianca wrinkled her nose a little. "Isn't she supposed to be like your aunt or something?"

He glared at her. "We're not related and I don't know what you're talking about."

Bianca gave him a look and then plunged her arm into his chest, causing him to choke on his breath and stiffen in pain. "They'll be back any minute, Chris, and we need to be gone by then. A word of advice?" She finished fixing him and withdrew her arm. "I wouldn't get so touchy feely with her in the future. He's pretty possessive."

He felt sick as he always did when he thought of what his own brother had done (and was doing) to Billie. He was pretty sure Wyatt had raped her the night he'd found her crying. Billie would never had told him something so personal like that, but the insinuations Wyatt had made were clear. Every time he looked at Billie's younger version it brought back all his guilt and the pressure to finish what he'd come here to accomplish. Knowing what was going to happen to everyone he'd ever loved was the worst hell he could ever imagine.

All of his previous pain was gone, but somehow, even without trying, he knew that his magic was gone too. He stiffened when she tried to touch him and pulled away. She got to him anyway and shimmered them upstairs to the attic. He knew that in the future, Wyatt was waiting for them on the other side of that wall, and went cold at the thought of returning, knowing that he hadn't accomplished his mission.

But, he had no powers. What could he do? She was already drawing the triquatra. Wyatt had probably found someone to make him a spell like the one Chris had used. He looked around, desperately wishing the Charmed One's would hurry up. Billie could be dying downstairs and he couldn't do anything unless they helped him. Thoughts and plans began running through his head, but all of them were contingent on his mother and aunts arriving as soon as possible.

The portal was done and she walked over to him. "Chris, I did this for you. This way we can be together. It was the only way he would let you live."

She disgusted him. "I would never be with you again, Bianca. You're evil and a coward. There's nothing in that future for me anymore."

Tears filled her eyes, but her tone was angry. "And you think there's something here for you? You don't belong here, Chris."

"Don't you think that's for him to decide?"

They both jerked their heads over to see Leo and the Charmed Ones standing there, as formidable as ever. Piper didn't even think twice before raising her hands and blowing up Bianca. Chris dodged out of the way as dark fuzzy pieces scattered every which way, then came back together to form an unhurt and extremely pissed off witch.

They were as shocked as Chris. He didn't know she could reconstitute. Before even a second had passed, Bianca flung a knife through the air towards Pipers face and shimmered, reappearing a moment before it would've killed her. She held it at his mother's throat and spoke evenly.

"Your powers won't work on me so don't try that again or I'll kill you. Understand?"

"Got it. Nice trick." Piper couldn't resist a bit of sarcasm.

They watched as Bianca walked back to Chris and Piper tried again, this time with her freezing power. No demon or warlock she knew had ever been immune to that. Bianca was chanting the spell needed to open the portal. The triquatra turned into a purple swirling vortex and she grabbed Chris' hand to lead him through.

Piper tried to freeze them, but it didn't work. On either of them. Her heart pounded. "Okay, I get why she didn't freeze," she said loudly, in the tone of voice that let her sisters and husband know that she was freaking out inwardly, "but why didn't he?"

They were as confused as she was and helplessly watched as Chris stopped walking to turn around. Bianca let him.

Phoebe turned to her and spoke in a hushed voice. "Wait a second. Does that mean that he's a-,"

"A witch? Yeah." Chris sounded completely defeated and tired. His voice was quiet. "Half-whitelighter, half-witch. Like you, Paige." That must have been the biggest clue he'd given them all along as to his true identity, but part of him hoped that they never figured it out. He'd failed and now their futures were doomed as was everyone else's.

They could only stare at him. One last idea popped into his head. He had complete faith in his family and trusted them more than he'd ever trusted anybody. If anyone could get him out of this mess, they could.

He looked at Leo, trying to catch his eye without alerting Bianca to what he was doing. He backed up a step and heard a board squeak under his weight.

"I guess we'll have to get that board fixed another time." Please, remember our conversation, Leo, he begged silently. Don't let me down this time.

Leo looked sharply at him and down at the board, but he was still confused and didn't say anything right away. He was still trying to figure out a way to stop Chris from leaving.

Bianca knew how hard this was for him, but she also knew that the portal would close soon. "It's time to go, Chris."

He nodded and turned around to walk through the portal with her, leaving behind his family, possibly forever. Come through for me, guys, he silently pleaded again.

He crossed through and the portal disappeared behind them.

It was dark here as usual. The attic was different than the one he'd just left. Colder and permeated with evil. Demons and warlocks slowly parted the way for them like a royal procession until finally he saw his brother, standing tall and imposing with arms crossed over his chest. His back faced them as they walked up and stopped a few feet away.

"Hello, Wyatt."

Wyatt slowly turned around, a sneer plastered across his face. "Chris, how was the family reunion? You know, if you were anyone else, I would kill you for that."

Chris didn't say anything and Bianca held her breath, waiting for Wyatt's pardon. It was the whole reason she'd agreed to work for him again. To save Chris.

Wyatt continued. "I'd hoped that we could put this foolishness behind us. I'd _hoped_," he said, stressing the last word, "that you would stand by my side as I rule. But, you have proven to be a traitor. _You_ betrayed _me... _my own flesh and blood."

"I wasn't trying to betray you, Wyatt," Chris argued desperately, "I was trying to save you."

Wyatt sneered. "Save me? I don't need saving, brother."

"Look at what you've done."

"Yes, I've accomplished much. Dark and Light now work together instead of warring as they used to."

"No, they don't. There just not many of the Light left."

Wyatt grew impatient. "I allowed Bianca to fetch you back to give you the choice of joining me or dying. Which will it be?"

Bianca spoke up cautiously. "Please, my lord, allow me to have him confined where he won't make trouble. Perhaps in time, he'll come around."

"No, I will not allow you," he snapped, causing her to flinch. "Either he decides now, or he dies. I demand total and complete loyalty."

"Though you don't deserve it."

Chris saw Billie walk up behind Wyatt and he smiled at her as his heart beat faster. "I thought you were dead. Are you okay?"

It was now weird to see her twenty years older. Almost as weird as it was to see her as a teenager. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, "I failed."

She gave him one of her looks that he knew so well and walked a bit closer, looking down at the squeaky sound emitted when she stepped over that damn board. Wyatt stopped her by wrapping a hand around her upper arm. She looked at Chris, but spoke to Bianca.

"You know, that energy ball you threw at me hurt. I still remember it like it was yesterday."

Chris' eyes widened and Bianca looked uncomfortable. "I had a job to do and you were getting in the way."

So she remembered him from the past? Time travel was enough to give him a headache.

Billie grimaced. "I doubt you would've tried that on me a couple months ago." Bianca didn't say anything and Billie shifted, ignoring the stare that she was getting from Wyatt. "It's amazing the things you remember, even after all this time. For instance, this damn board is just as much a pain in the ass as it was twenty years ago."

Chris' heart stopped for a second, not sure he was hearing right. Was she trying to tell him something?

Billie smiled again at Bianca, though there wasn't much friendliness behind it. "I almost died, but thankfully Leo healed me right before you and Chris left. I made it up to the attic right as the portal sealed."

"I hope mom didn't take my leaving too hard," he said lightly. "I made sure they didn't know who I was."

Billie looked down for a second and then back up at him, giving a brief smile. "She was fine. Positively, _magical_."

Chris got the hint and knew that his family had come through for him. Relief washed over him, making him slightly giddy. Wyatt was looking back and forth between them and Chris remembered that in order to use whatever his parents had left, he had to get past his brother.

He scowled. "I won't join you, Wyatt. You'll have to kill me." The longer he denied his brother what he wanted, the longer Wyatt would keep him in the attic.

Bianca looked at him, startled. "What are you doing? Do you know what I had to do to keep you safe?" She grabbed his arm but he yanked it away from her.

"Don't touch me," he spat, ignoring the way she looked at him as she backed away in shock. "You ruined everything."

Billie looked at him quietly. "In all fairness, Chris, he did torture her for a week before she agreed to kill for him again. _And_ he used you as leverage."

Chris hadn't known that. He supposed that he'd had feelings for Bianca before, but even then, he knew that she struggled more than she let on to be good. He'd never seen their relationship going any further; it had just been mostly out of necessity.

But, knowing that she'd been tortured because of him made his heart twist. "I- I'm sorry, Bianca. I didn't know."

Her face was stony and hard. "I don't need your pity. I didn't need to cave to his demands, Chris. I was trained from the time I was a child to take death before surrender. I only did this to save you."

Wyatt laughed and leaned down to Billie, jerking her closer to him, and grabbing a piece of her light blonde hair. He lifted it to his nose and inhaled, smiling at Chris' reaction of anger. "My brother with _two_ women fighting to save him." He laughed.

"You're disgusting. What would Mom think if she saw what you were doing?" His jaw clenched in anger as Wyatt leaned his face down closer to Billie's and smiled slyly at him.

He want to push Chris into doing something stupid so he could punish him.

"Mother wouldn't think anything because she's dead. She chose to fight against me, her own child, rather than join me."

Chris hated talking about this. It was the one thing he'd never forgive his brother for. "You're wrong. She died because, in the end, she _couldn't_ fight you. If she had, you'd be dead."

Wyatt waved his hand at him as though his words held no meaning. "It's of no consequence now. What's done is done. Only the future matters. _My_ future."

"Let Billie go. I know you think I betrayed you, but if you let her go and spare the others, I'll join you." That was a lie of course. But, it wasn't as if he hadn't considered it once or twice.

Wyatt smiled. "You'll never truly be on my side, Chris. There's too much... good in you, although," he said, half-turning to give him a look, "there's a lot of bad too. Did you know that? There's blood on your hands, Chris."

"Demon blood," he spat, though he knew that was only a half-truth. The Valkyrie he killed still gave him nightmares sometimes. Her eyes haunted him. "Whatever I've done isn't a quarter as bad as what you've done. "

"Oh, I didn't know there were degrees of evil."

This was taking too long. If Wyatt took Chris out of the manor, it would be years before they even had a glimmer of hope of getting back in. Billie needed to distract Wyatt and somehow get to the spell.

Billie glared up at him. "Chris isn't anything like you, Wyatt. If I had been the one to go back, I'd have killed you as a child to rid the world of your evil." She held her breath and hoped for once that he acted in character. If she could get to the spell that the Charmed One's put under the creaky board twenty years ago she could get Chris' powers back.

But, he didn't hit or shove her to the floor, like he sometimes did. She bit her lip as he moved away from her to circle Chris, keeping his eyes on her. "Your words wound me, Billie. I'd hoped after enough time had passed you'd see how great we could be together. That you'd come to me of your own free will."

The last words he spoke close to Chris' ear, just to twist the knife in him a little more. He saw his face flush with anger and embarrassment and knew it would only take a little bit more to provoke a physical attack. Then the fun could begin.

Billie mouth twisted in disgust. "I would never choose to be with you. I've told you to kill me and you won't."

His dark laugh seemed to echo off the walls. "The only way you'll ever escape me will be if you find a way to kill yourself. And I've made that impossible."

No one said anything. Wyatt looked up at his minions and waved them away.

"Go find the others and don't come back until you've got a lead. If you find the demon, take him alive. He's got something I want."

The others exited in their own fashion until it was just Chris, Wyatt, Bianca, and Billie. Wyatt stared at Chris who looked defiantly back at him. Then he waved his arm and threw his brother across the room. Chris crashed into an old desk and groaned as he rolled over and tried to get up. Wyatt turned his back on the women and walked over to him.

"Bianca, please," Billie whispered urgently, "You love Chris. Wyatt's going to kill him unless you do something."

Bianca stared after Wyatt and watched Chris get thrown to the floor again.

"After everything you've gone through, he's not going to keep his promise. You said you weren't afraid of death."

Bianca snapped her eyes to Billie, anger simmering there. "I'm not. What about you? Why should I die so that you two can live?"

Billie looked at the girl sadly. "You would be risking death only for Chris. I'm afraid that I'm not going to live much longer, Bianca, no matter what you do. I am only still here because Chris needs me."

As her meaning sunk in, Bianca widened her eyes in shock. "You would kill yourself?"

Billie looked at her bitterly. "Wouldn't you?" She was a powerful witch, not some plaything. Or leverage to be used against her family. Wyatt wouldn't win, no matter what she had to do.

Bianca paused, but kept her answer to herself. Billie took a chance and kneeled down, glancing furtively over to Wyatt. He was still occupied with Chris so she started prying the loose board away from the floor. She locked eyes with Bianca, willing her not to alert him.

Just as she had remembered, there was a rolled up piece of paper inside with a spell on it to restore a witch's powers. Bianca looked indecisive for only a moment more, then walked over quickly and snatched the paper from Billie.

"I couldn't make him proud of me in life. Perhaps with my death, I can." She began quietly speaking the lines written down.

Just then, Wyatt stopped what he was doing and whirled around, sensing her magic. "What the hell are you doing?" he snarled, waving a hand to throw her against the wall. She flew across the room a second after she finished the spell and crashed into decades old furniture.

Billie stood up quickly as Wyatt angrily advanced upon her. "You," he seethed, "this was your doing. You knew there would be a spell in that floorboard." He magically wrenched the rest of the board up from the floor and pointed the end of it at her throat. "You continually disappoint me, Billie. Perhaps I should decide that you're not worth the effort it takes to keep you and end your life."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bianca shimmer from her position on the floor to stand in back of him. Billie smiled at him. And then Bianca took a breath and plunged her arm into Wyatt's back.

"Hurry Chris," she shouted, "I can't hold him for long."

Billie ran over to the wall and started drawing the triquatra with the chalk that had just been used a few hours before. She heard Bianca tell them to hurry again and saw Wyatt begin to fight through her hold on him. He wouldn't let her live after this.

Chris ran over to Bianca and hesitated only for a moment before kissing her on the lips. "I hope you can forgive me, Bianca."

His words meant more to her than anything else ever had and she nodded with tears in her eyes. "Get the spell out of my pocket."

He nodded and grabbed it. Before he could turn, she called out to him again. "And Chris?"

He stopped and turned questioningly.

"I love you."

What could he say? For Wyatt to spare her life after this betrayal would be a miracle.

"I love you, too."

He gave her a small smile and then ran over to Billie. Everything _almost_ went perfectly. The portal opened. And then Bianca's grasp on his brother slipped and he broke free, slamming her hard against the wall and grabbing the piece of wood from the floor.

He quickly waved Billie and Chris away from the portal. And then he looked maliciously down at Bianca and shoved the piece of wood through her stomach. He stood up and didn't even bother to watch her die.

Soon the portal would close and he would make damn sure all time-traveling spells were destroyed for ever. He advanced upon the remaining two, but was blown back by Chris.

"Run, Chris. Hurry!"

"Come with me," he begged.

She grabbed his hand. "Chris, I can't. You have to go back and save us. You can do it. I have faith in you." She looked at him seriously. "I've always had faith in you."

Wyatt was on his feet and before Chris could say anything to her, she shoved him through the portal and lunged at his brother, surprising him and taking him off balance.

"No," he shouted, shoving Billie away and sprinting towards the portal just as it closed.

Chris came out on the other side headfirst, bloody with torn clothing, to the relieved faces of his family. Breathing hard, he looked up and smiled, grabbing his chest to slow his racing heart. Billie and Phoebe crouched down to help him up.

"Nice spell," he said, "I got my powers back."

"What happened to Bianca? Is she still after you?" Phoebe asked, glancing behind at the wall.

His smile disappeared and he shook his head slowly. "She's not a threat anymore. She-," he began, but stopped in hesitation. It was important to him that his family remember her in a good light and so he told them, "She's actually the one who saved me. She switched at the last minute and made my escape possible."

They looked at each other, and Phoebe bit her lip, trying to be delicate about her question. "And did she manage to escape also?"

He sighed and shook his head. "But, the important thing is that in this time, she hasn't died yet. Hopefully, I can keep that future from happening and save more than just her."

Suddenly, he remembered that they were pissed off at him and looked down at the floor. It was time to tell them about Wyatt. It was too dangerous not to.

But, Piper beat him to it. Her tone was guarded as if somehow she knew that whatever he had to say would be bad. "Chris, I think you need to tell us who sent Bianca after you. I realize that you don't feel comfortable-."

He cut her off. "No, you need to know. It's just... hard." He swallowed and looked at his mom who was paler than usual. "There's no demon that rules in the future. I told you that because I didn't think you'd believe me if I told you the truth."

They all waited silently as he continued reluctantly. "The truth is that... a demon doesn't kill Wyatt. It turns him evil."

**AN- So in this case I'm not writing Billie considering suicide because she to weak to go on, or because she's super depressed or anything like that. The take I'm going with is that she's not going to continue to let Wyatt use and manipulate her or use her against Chris possible. That's why she would kill herself in the future.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Howdy everyone! It's taken me forever to come back to my stories, but thankfully I have. I'm trying to update all of them, but I finished this one first. Enjoy and as always nothing is mine.**

The witches and Leo just stared at him. Then Piper spoke.

"What?" Her tone was colored with shock.

Chris sighed inwardly and steeled himself for a long evening ahead of him. He tried to avoid his mother's eyes. "I didn't want to tell you. I thought I could find the demon in enough time and kill him before he turns Wyatt. But, so far, the future's still the same. That's why I brought the Scanner demon here, to scan Wyatt for evil. He's not evil _yet_," he said in hurry, trying to make his mom feel better, "but, that just means that we haven't found what we're looking for."

Piper rubbed her temples and walked over to the sofa, sitting down and leaning back. "This can't be true. Leo is a Whitelighter and I'm a Charmed One. How can my son be evil?"

Chris walked over to her with the others. Phoebe and Paige sat down on either side, looking her over in concern. "I don't know, Piper. No one knows anything about it in the future except that whatever gets to Wyatt happens when he's a baby."

Phoebe put her arms around Piper, but looked up at Chris. "You've lied to us before. How do we know you're telling the truth?"

"Use your powers, Phoebe. What do you feel?"

She studied him for a moment with her intense dark eyes and then relented. "I feel like you're being honest right now."

"This can't be happening," Piper murmured, staring off into space.

Paige squeezed her shoulders. "Piper, we are the most powerful good witches of all time, Chris is from the future and Leo is an elder. We are _not_ going to let evil get your baby."

"Paige is right," Phoebe said. "Evil has taken everything from us. It isn't taking Wyatt too."

"It's my life mission, Piper," Chris said seriously. "I have to save Wyatt or die trying."

Paige looked up at him. "One thing I don't get." The other two sisters glanced over at her. "You said you were half-whitelighter, half-witch. How is that possible?"

Chris groaned. He'd hoped they would've forgotten about that now that he was back in the past and alive. How could he answer them without lying again? "Well, one of my parent's was a whitelighter and the other was a witch. Simple."

She glared at him. "Piper and Leo had to go through hell and back just to be able to get married. You're telling me that in the future witches and whitelighters can just hook up with each other all willy-nilly?"

He smiled and started walking away. "What can I say? Piper and Leo started a sexual revolution."

"Where do you think you're going, mister?" Piper asked crossly. "I still have a lot more questions."

He ran a hand through his hair and turned around. He should have known he wouldn't be able to get away that easy. "You don't want me to lie to you anymore, but there are certain things that I can't tell you. It will change the future too much."

"How do you know you haven't changed it too much already?"

He turned to look at Billie who so far had kept quiet. "I don't."

"It sounds to me like the future can use all the changing it can get. You said I wasn't supposed to meet the Charmed Ones for another two years. That's a big time gap."

"Well, when I went back just now everything was still the same, so you meeting the sisters early didn't impact the future at all. How do you know that just by me telling you about Wyatt hasn't started a chain of events that turns him evil? What if you look at him differently now or don't love him as much?"

Phoebe gave him a grim smile. "Jeremy. Cole. Richard. The list goes on. The evil or potential evil in someone has never stopped one of us from loving them."

That was true, he thought, thinking of Bianca. But, had he ever really ever loved her? "You don't think I want to change some things too? I could go to Bianca's mother's house right now and take Bianca away from the coven. She wouldn't grow up learning how to kill people, instead, she'd learn to be good and then twenty-something years from now she wouldn't die trying to save my life."

They all grew silent at that. He continued. "But, I'm not going to because my mission is bigger than my own personal desires."

"Why is Wyatt so important to you?" Piper looked up at him with her usual penetrating stare. "You've as much as told us he ruins your life and kills your girlfriend. Why is it so important that you save him?"

Chris didn't know what to say. He expelled a breath. "It's complicated. Evil isn't so simple. There were times when Wyatt wasn't so bad and maybe I remember those times."

"So you were friends?"

He smiled and shook his head. "No. But, like I said, it's complicated."

"Why did you decide to us the truth after all this time?"

"I was told that if I needed to, I could tell you." He deliberately refrained from looking at Billie. "And I figured with Bianca and everything that happened and the fact that you threw me out of the house, it was time."

Leo looked at him. "We'll give you another chance, Chris, but you have to be honest with us from now on. As honest as you can be. We'll help you with Wyatt. You don't have to do this alone."

"No more demon surprises, okay?" Piper asked him and he nodded.

"So you guys will focus from now on? No more radio shows and Richard?"

Paige glared. "I will speak to Richard and find a solution, but I'm not going to give up on him just because he's got some problems. I will however try and find more time to fight demons. Satisfied?"

He gave her a small smile and felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Maybe Billie had been right. Maybe this way was better than his way. He looked over at her and found she was already looking at him. They shared a smile and for the first time, Chris felt hopeful about his future.

XXXXXXXXXX

Billie couldn't sleep again. Her thoughts kept straying back to Chris and everything that had happened earlier that day. No matter how mature and understanding she tried to be about it, her main thought was that he had a girlfriend. Emphasis on 'had'. She'd been killed right in front of him. She wondered how he was taking it.

Oh course, the witch had stolen his powers and blasted Billie unconscious. That still grated on her pride in a big way. Bianca was beautiful to top it off. Dark, tan, sultry . . .

Agh! she thought, throwing her pillow hard across the room. She had to get up and do something to take her mind off Chris and her horrible, loveless, future. She stood and threw some shorts on over her underwear and walked quietly out of her room. There was always her search for Christy to consume her attention.

So far, she'd been able to hide her quest for her missing sister from the Charmed Ones, but she didn't know how much longer she could do that.

Billie trudged up the narrow stairway that led up to the attic, yawning as she did so. This would be just what she needed to take her mind off Chris and his gorgeous eyes. And that bottom lip she just wanted to nibble on. And the way his hair fell into his eyes as he was looking at you.

Stop it! She slipped into the attic, shutting the door behind her and walked quietly over to the Book. It was heavy in her arms as she walked over to the sofa and settled in, flipping pages and looking for anything that looked familiar or struck a chord. Maybe this night would be more productive than all the others.

If she could just go back to that night when Christy was taken, she was sure there was something she could do to stop it. She'd thought that maybe there would be a picture of a demon in the book that would jog her memory or something, but so far no luck.

Nothing else had worked so far either. Not the To Find a Lost Witch spell, or the To Call a Lost Sister spell, or scrying, or anything. She slammed the book shut and tossed it on the cushion next to her in frustration. How was she supposed to find her sister without magic?

Tears started forming in her eyes and she blinked, causing them to drop down onto both cheeks. At the same time she heard a tinkling of bells then Chris was there surrounded by blue light. It faded and she jumped in surprise, hastily wiping her cheeks free of moisture. "Chris, what are you doing here?"

He looked down at her in surprise. "I thought everyone would be asleep. I just came to check the Book about a new potential demonic threat to Wyatt."

She nodded morosely and gestured to it lying next to her. He hesitated, but then walked over and picked it up. He took a seat, but at the opposite end of the sofa. Instead of opening the Book up, he stared at her.

She could feel his eyes on her face and gave up trying to ignore him. "Do you want me to leave?" She should leave, since the only reason she was up here right now was because of him, and he was now, in fact_, here_.

He shook his head quickly. "No, it's just—well, is anything wrong?"

"No. I'm fine."

"You've been crying," he pointed out.

She glared at him. Then relented. "Today was a bit much, that's all. I'm just feeling kind of low."

He looked down at his hands and she hurried on. "I know it's nothing compared to the kind of day you had. I'm sorry, you know, about your—Bianca," she finished, unwilling to say 'girlfriend'.

He nodded. "I'm sorry you got hurt. Is your shoulder better?"

"Leo healed me. It's better now." Billie darted a glance at him. "So I guess you're pretty disappointed, huh?"

He looked over quickly at her. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "I mean, with me. I must be a disappointment. I can't even defend a dying guy against a witch. You were probably expecting something different." She flexed her shoulder unconsciously, remembering the blast from Bianca that hit her. It left a sour aftertaste in her mouth. She didn't expect to hear him chuckle.

"Billie, I didn't even expect to see you in this time. And no, you're not a disappointment, you're just a new witch. Don't worry about your powers. You're a very fast learner."

She looked at him. "I am?"

He smiled which was rare for Chris and nodded. "In the future, you're the most powerful I witch I know."

"What about the Charmed Ones?"

He sobered up quickly. "They're not around anymore."

That stunned her and she leaned back. "But, then that means that Wyatt kills his own family. He's so sweet and adorable," she protested. "When I babysit him, he orbs me cookies during my shows so I don't have to get up. You know, on second thought, maybe he is evil," she said, deadpanning. "Like I need cookies. He's probably trying to make me fat-that little monster."

Despite her joking about something that was serious to him, he found the humor in it and gave a quiet laugh. The thought of Billie thinking Wyatt was so harmless disturbed him since he knew what happens to her in the future. But, he couldn't tell her so he shook himself. "He hasn't killed anyone yet which is what I'm trying to prevent. Now are you going to tell me what you're doing up here with the Book?"

Billie tensed up for a moment, unused to sharing things about her private life with anyone. "You're not the only one with secrets, you know. Besides, if you're from the future you should already know what I'm doing up here." She smiled sweetly at him and he gave her a look, but didn't budge. She sighed. "Alright, but you can't tell the sisters. I'm not ready for that yet. Promise?"

He nodded and turned his body on the sofa, drawing a knee up to his chest and facing her. Billie swallowed and tried not to visibly react when he looked at her. She turned in a similar position and drew in a breath.

"I have a sister—Christy." She tried to look at him and discern whether or not this was news to him. Apparently, it wasn't. Maybe that means that she finds Christy sometime in the future. "When I was five and she was seven, someone broke into our house, our room actually, when we were sleeping and took her. I always thought it was just some sicko, until a few months ago when I learned I was witch. If I'm a witch then Christy must have been one too. What if demons took her? That would explain why no one has ever found a trace of her and why all my leads never pan out. Right?" She looked up at him, suddenly unsure of herself now that she'd said what she was feeling aloud.

Chris wanted to say something to make her feel better, but he didn't know. The first he'd ever heard of Billie's sister was right before he'd left to come here and she said it hadn't ended well. They both had tried to kill the Charmed Ones and Billie had ended up killing her own sister. Something about the Triad manipulating things—he'd have to check up on them later.

Right now he looked at her and was struck at how vulnerable she looked. He'd only ever seen her look like that one time, in the future, when he'd orbed into the manor after Wyatt had captured her. She'd been huddled against the wall. Right over there, he realized, with a start, staring at the space of wall in back of where the sofa is now.

"Chris?"

He turned back to her and saw she was waiting for an answer. "I would say that it is almost certain your sister is a witch. If she is, then it would make sense that a demon would take her. Did she have her powers when she was seven?"

Billie shook her head. "No, neither of us did. Not that I can remember anyways. Why? Is that weird?"

"No. Some witches, like Wyatt, were born with powers. Some get them at puberty."

"Well, what about me? I'm nineteen."

"The Charmed Ones didn't get their powers until adulthood, but they were bound until Grams died. Maybe someone bound yours," he suggested.

"But, who would do that?"

"Your parents?"

She shook her head. "There's no way my parents are witches. If you met them, you'd know what I mean."

He smiled briefly. "Well, maybe they had someone else do it for them. Some parents who aren't magical find it hard to deal with children who are. Look at Wyatt," he pointed out, "He orbs stuff all the time. Imagine if he did that in daycare?"

Billie nodded. "I guess that would make sense. But, why wouldn't they ever say anything? And why would they unbind my powers and not tell me? They must have known that they would return to me and I'd be scared."

He cocked an eyebrow. "You? Scared?"

She smiled and leaned over, punching him lightly on the shoulder. "But, seriously, what do you think I should do?"

He thought about it for a moment. He shouldn't really say anything at all, but how could he not? "I would start by asking your parents. Go from there."

Billie bit her lip, eyes shining with hope. Without thinking, she quickly wrapped her arms around Chris' neck and gave him a hug. "You don't know what a relief it is to tell someone all this. I've been doing it alone for so long."

His hand came to rest on her back after several moments and she shivered involuntarily at its warmth through the thin fabric of her camisole. Awareness set in and she realized how close they were. Suddenly, everything was magnified. Every tiny little sound. The feel of his cotton shirt under her fingertips. The way he smelled—like the wind. The bare skin of his neck pressing against her cheek. Her heartbeat.

It started thudding and she couldn't stop her fingers from curling against the nape of his neck. Suddenly he drew back and stared at her.

XXXXX

When she hugged him, Chris froze up, not knowing what to do. It wasn't like Billie had never hugged him before, but it was older Billie. The Billie who baby-sat him as a kid, and was his Aunt Phoebe's best friend. Not young Billie who was hot and wore lacy camisoles for pajamas. And he'd seen the look in her eyes directed at him more than once. The look that made him uncomfortable on so many levels. He swallowed.

You're a whitelighter, he told himself in irritation. She's a witch. You're supposed to guide them. It's just a hug.

So he raised his arms and hugged her back, lightly at first until he relaxed. He knew how she felt when she said she'd been looking for her sister alone for a long time. That's how he felt about Wyatt. This was his family and he couldn't even tell them that he loved them.

And then something changed and he didn't know what. Something in the air. Maybe it was because of the long hug (that was probably it, actually), but suddenly he was aware of certain things. The silky feel of her top. The light fruity smell of her body spray—grapefruit, he thought distantly. Her impossibly soft skin against his neck.

It got instantly hot in the attic.

And then she moved her fingers around his neck and he felt them ruffle for just a second against his hair. His breath caught in his chest. What was he doing? More importantly, what was he thinking? He prayed that future Billie wasn't completely grossed out with him right now, as he shifted in seat uncomfortably. He was completely turned on and he didn't know what to do about it. If he moved, she would see and he would be humiliated. But, if he didn't he might do something he regretted.

He pulled away from her. It was dark, he reasoned. There was no reason why she should notice his 'predicament'. But, he didn't pull away far enough because when he looked down at her all he saw was wide shining eyes, moist lips, and the way tendrils of her light blonde hair brushed her cheekbones. There were dried trails of tears on them also, he realized, feeling bad for her. He knew she'd been crying when he'd shown up in the attic. It made him feel even worse to know it had been over her sister, who apparently she was desperate to find. She kills her in the very near future, he thought. She'll be devastated.

Billie had always been so strong for him and his cousins when they had no one else to turn to. He wanted badly to say something to save her from this sort of pain, but he couldn't bring himself to actually do it. It could all end up very badly if he did.

"I have to go," he said suddenly, trying to get up and leave before he did or said something stupid, but she grabbed his arm.

"Wait. What's wrong?"

I'm having very inappropriate thoughts about you and it is wrong on so many levels, he screamed in his head. Aloud, he said, "Nothing. I just need to get some sleep before I start out again. I'll see you later."

He hurried out before she could say anything else and stop him. It was barely starting to become light outside and he hurried to the bathroom in serious need of a cold shower. Much to his dismay, Phoebe was leaving her room at the same time he was in hallway. He groaned and tried to dart into the bathroom, but she stopped him.

"Hold it, mister."

It annoyed him that he obeyed her even though she didn't know they were related and he was in a position of authority over her. Stifling a long-suffering sigh, he turned to face her. "What?" he asked, not very nicely.

She looked suspiciously at him and narrowed her eyes.

Please don't let her sense what I'm feeling, he silently begged whoever was out there. He had to get that potion that blocked her empathy and he had to get it soon.

"What's got you all hot and bothered?" She waved a hand at him to emphasize her words and pulled her robe together, stopping in front of him to tie it.

"None of your business," he answered snidely, trying to hurry into the bathroom before she could say anything else.

"Well, I can feel what you're feeling and let me tell you—," she broke off and her eyes widened. "Oh my god, do you have a secret girlfriend? Were you just out all night with someone? Is this the walk of shame?"

She had the widest grin on her face and he gave her another snide look. "Are you proud of yourself right now?"

She sobered with a quick rejoinder. "Not really, but tell me. Please, please, please," she begged, hanging into the bathroom as he was trying to get undressed.

"Do you mind? I'm trying to take a shower."

Phoebe gave him a sour look and muttered, "God, you're _so_ touchy. Guess she's not doing it for you."

A sudden embarrassing scenario played quickly through his mind and he jumped over to catch her before she left. "Wait."

She turned back in curiosity.

His cheeks reddened and he stuck his head out the door to make sure no one else was walking by. "Do you think you can keep this to yourself? I mean, not tell anyone else, not even Paige and Piper?"

A sly playful look came into Phoebe's eyes. "You want me to do you a favor?"

He sighed in frustration. Nothing was ever simple with his family. "Yes," he gritted out.

She smiled and tried to look casual. "What do people with manners say?"

She had this obnoxious look on her face that he couldn't ever remember seeing when he was kid. It was annoying and she knew it. "Please," he forced out in the most polite tone he could manage.

She pretended to consider it. "What do I get in return?"

Dirty dealing. That was something he understood. "What do you want?"

"No demon hunting for a week. Except for important occasions."

He shook his head. "How about the next time you want to go to see Jason I won't bitch about it?"

"Agreed. Secret's safe with me." She moved to turn away, but just then, much to his everlasting frustration, Billie came down the hall from the attic stairs and stopped when she saw them.

"Billie, were you in the attic again?" Phoebe asked in surprise. "Honey, you need to sleep sometime. What if a demon attacks and you're too tired to fight it off?"

Billie didn't look happy. Chris wondered if she was still thinking about her sister.

"I'm nineteen, Phoebe, it's not like I'm thirty." She looked at the pair of them with an arched brow, ignoring Phoebe's flicker of surprise at her tone. And then she addressed Chris. "You seemed in a hurry to go to bed earlier."

Phoebe straightened abruptly, trying not to look uncomfortable, and Chris did likewise. "I was—am," he amended. "I just needed a shower first."

The way Billie was looking at him and Phoebe made him wary. Phoebe held her hands up. "Alone. He was going to shower alone. I stopped him with a very important . . . question about demons. And he answered it. And now I'm going." She hurried off to down the hall to her room and closed the door.

Billie stared after her. Her expression looked more neutral. "What's up with her?"

He shrugged and braced himself against the doorframe. "I've been asking myself that since I got here."

"It's none of my business what you two do. I was just wondering. See ya." She went to walk by him, but he stopped her.

"Wait, are you saying that you think there's something going on between me and Phoebe?" He was incredulous. That was disgusting.

Billie gave him a look. "You guys looked pretty cozy there before I walked in. I'm just saying. It's isn't as if she's not your type."

"What?" He could hardly believe his ears.

"Dark brown hair, olive skin, beautiful, a witch. Ring any bells?"

"You mean Bianca?"

"Do you have a ton of girlfriends fitting that description?"

She was upset, he realized, but he still didn't know why. Then it dawned on him. "You think that I was hitting on another girl right after my girlfriend died." That had to be it. He didn't want to sound callous but Bianca's death was sad, just not as sad to him as it should be. They'd been close at one time and then they weren't. There was nothing he could do about it.

Billie's demeanor changed and she looked guilty. "No, I just—I didn't mean anything. Just ignore me. I'm tired."

"Phoebe is very good-looking, Billie, but we were just talking. There is absolutely no way _that_ is ever happening." You don't even know how serious I am, he thought. "I mean, like, _ever_."

Something in his face or tone must have convinced her because she visibly relaxed. And then flushed. "Like I said, it's none of my business. I just thought . . . seeing you two together . . . I don't really care or anything. I think I smell coffee." And then she was gone.

He stared after her wondering what the hell was wrong with girls. He almost wished Leo was around more often, just to balance out all the female craziness that went on around here. But, he thought with disdain, his dad wasn't around any in the future, why should anything be different in the past? He shut the door and stripped off his clothes. He no longer needed a cold shower, but a hot one would take his mind off things.

XXXXX

Billie was mortified at herself. Beginning with practically throwing herself at Chris and ending with her accusing him a sleeping with Phoebe. What was wrong with her?

She stared at the coffee pot, not realizing that she was spacing out until she heard someone come into the kitchen. She knew without turning that it was Phoebe.

"You know, that coffee won't pour itself," she joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Billie was exhausted and tried to crack a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. Instead, she reached for the pot and poured a cup. "Do you want one?" she offered, trying to pretend the weirdness between them upstairs hadn't happened.

Phoebe smiled. "Sure. You know, if there's anything you want to talk about ever I'm here. You know that right?"

Billie handed her a cup and nodded quickly. "Yeah, I know. If I ever have anything interesting to say I'll come to you." It was an attempt at a joke.

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Everything you say is interesting on some level, Billie."

Breakfast passed by slowly. Billie's eyelids started drooping and she only perked up when Piper called her on it. "Sorry, I'm just tired. I was up all night." She caught Phoebe's knowing look and blushed. Damn her empathy. She probably picked up on something from her when they were upstairs.

Piper sat down, concern etched across her face. "Anything wrong?"

"No, I just have stuff on my mind. Nothing for you to worry about." Just then, she was unable to stifle a yawn and covered her mouth with a fist.

"That's it, missy. You can't train when you're about to fall over. After you eat, you should go lay down and sleep. You can train with Paige tonight."

Billie groaned and Paige glared at her. "Thanks," she said dryly.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I'm feeling restless lately and I want to do something physical, you know? Not fight demons or anything," she amended, "just some sort of physical training."

"That's actually a good idea."

Billie heard Chris' voice from the doorway and straightened, suddenly alert. She glared at Phoebe who was giving her another look and then turned her attention to him.

"Why?" Piper asked.

He looked serious and took his usual seat next to Billie. "I wanted to give you guys some time to process what I told you earlier before I dropped anything else on you."

Everyone was instantly alert. Piper looked worried. "We've processed, now tell us."

"When Bianca took me back to the future, she used a spell similar to the one that I used to come here. I wasn't able to get it before I came back."

"So you think someone is going to try to get you again?" Phoebe refrained from saying Wyatt's name.

He nodded. "Bianca was an assassin, a good one too. With her dead, I don't know how or what methods he'll use to get me again. He can't risk me killing the demon that made him evil. It'll ruin all his plans."

Piper looked at him seriously and once again Billie was struck by her resistance and fortitude to the situation. She dealt with this as if it were just another problem. In a way, she guessed it was. Wyatt was an innocent that needed to be saved. "Any ideas?"

He leaned forward, all business now. "There's a chance he might not want just me. He could use anyone and anything for leverage."

Phoebe sat up, instantly concerned. "You mean, like, Jason?"

"Or Richard?" Paige was equally as concerned.

Chris shook his head. "Doubtful. I'm thinking Billie."

All eyes turned to her and grew defensive. "What?"

"Or baby Wyatt. What better way to ensure he becomes evil than to put himself somewhere as a baby where he can be raised evil?"

Piper instantly turned and turned her face toward the ceiling. "Leo!"

Blue light and tinkling bells later, Leo appeared in the kitchen. "What going on guys?"

"Chris thinks that future Wyatt might try and kidnap himself. I need you to take him."

Leo looked totally confused. "What?"

Piper sighed in frustration, as if what she'd said made perfect sense. "Future Wyatt might try and kidnap baby Wyatt. I need you to take baby Wyatt up there with you until we know for sure he's safe. Do you think you can do that?"

Leo looked worried just like the rest of them and nodded. "I'll get him ready." He walked out of the kitchen without another word.

Billie was still concerned with Chris' news pertaining to herself. "What about me? I'm not going up there."

"You can't," Paige said, "No witches allowed."

"Just start her training as if she were fighting demons, especially with her powers. The more she uses them, the faster they'll evolve." He looked over at her briefly and then at his family. "I've gotta go follow a lead in the Underworld, so you won't be able to call me. Call Leo instead if you guys get into something."

"Wait," Piper protested, but he had already orbed out. She sat back deflated but used to the men in her life orbing out on her mid-conversation. Then she turned to Billie. "You go get some sleep and we'll figure out a more intensive training schedule for you in the meantime."

For once, Billie didn't argue. She was truly exhausted. She nodded and pushed back her plate, standing up and waving goodnight to everyone. Trudging up to her room, she closed the curtains and turned off all the lights. Her shorts were discarded on the floor.

The sheets were cool from disuse, but they felt nice. It wasn't hard to fall asleep now that she'd been awake for hours and hours. She just hoped she didn't dream of Chris this time.

She didn't know when she drifted off or when the dream started, but she was suddenly aware that she wasn't alone. She see couldn't see anyone yet, but her surroundings were weird and non-descript, like the background of a Wal-Mart family portrait.

"Where am I?" Her voice sounded echo-y and distant.

"With me." A man slid out of the shadows and walked toward her. "Or rather I'm with you, in your mind."

Then suddenly he was behind her, touching her. She shrugged his hands from away from her shoulders and turned to face him. Her mind felt weak and sluggish and she pressed a hand to her temple. "What's going on? I must dreaming."

He laughed. "That's one way of putting it." Then his eyes grew cold and calculating causing Billie to shiver. "You're so young right now. Easily moldable." One finger tipped her chin upwards and she found she couldn't stop him. "Far less obstinate than the other one."

"Other one what?" Billie whispered. "Who are you?"

He only smiled and looked around. "You're here early, aren't you?"

That was a weird dream question. Billie looked around again and realized that she was downstairs in the Manor's sunroom. Somehow she knew what he meant and nodded. "How did you know? Chris said I'm not supposed to be here yet. He changed something when he came."

The man smiled and leaned close to her. "Chris," he murmured, stroking her cheek. "And how do you like dear Chris?"

Billie swallowed, but didn't move away from his hand this time. Was this some sort of weird sex dream? "He's fine. He's very nice."

The stranger snorted and slid his hand down to rest at the curve of her neck and shoulder, thumb stroking her collarbone. "It won't do for you to become too attached to Chris." His grip tightened. "I'm extremely possessive, Billie."

"What are you talking about?" This dream was confusing.

He scowled—then his features smoothed and he bent down close to her lips, looking into her eyes as he did so. "My poor Billie, so confused. It will all make sense in time. Until then," he whispered, closing the distance between them with a kiss.

The kiss was awesome, but at the same time rough and possessive, which she didn't really like. She didn't belong to anybody. But, she kissed him back and everything was so real she couldn't believe she was dreaming. She felt his tongue, his lips—she tasted him, and felt his hands tighten around her arms.

Then she bolted upright in bed, gasping for air and covered with a sheen of sweat.

**So I'm sure everyone has figured out who the man in her head is, right? Well, I won't give it away just in case. **

**I tried to focus more on Chris/Billie time in this chapter to start building their relationship or whatever it is going to become. Next chapter will include more of the plot.**


End file.
